Methods of screening for modifiers of potassium channel protein activity

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain, a gene encoding this protein, a vector containing this gene, a host cell containing this vector, and so on. 
     A typical method for obtaining the potassium channel protein of the present invention; 
     mRNA is extracted from human cells or tissue capable of producing the potassium channel protein of the present invention. Then use is made of two primers between which the channel protein mRNA or a part of the mRNA region is located by using the thus extracted mRNA as a template. By carrying out a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (to be referred to as RT-PCR hereinafter), the channel protein cDNA or a part thereof can be obtained. Thereafter, the channel protein can be produced by integrating the thus obtained novel potassium channel cDNA or a part of the same into an appropriate expression vector and then effecting its expression in a host cell.

This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/600,776, filed Jul. 21, 2000, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,168 on Dec. 4, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention belongs to the field of genetic engineering, and particularly relates to a novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain, or an equivalent thereof, a gene encoding the protein or an equivalent thereof, a vector containing the gene, a host cell containing the vector, and so on.

BACKGROUND ART

Potassium channel is a protein which is distributed in the surface membrane of cells and selectively allows potassium ions to pass through it, and it is considered that it takes an important role in controlling membrane potential of cells. Particularly, in nerve and muscle cells, it contributes to the neurotransmission of central and peripheral nerves, pace making of the heart, contraction of muscles and the like by controlling frequency, persistency and the like of action potential. In addition, it has been shown that it is also concerned in the secretion of hormones, adjustment of cell volume, proliferation of cells and the like.

As the classification based on the opening and closing mechanism of the channel, a voltage-dependent potassium channel, an inwardly rectifying potassium channel, a calcium-dependent potassium channel, a receptor coupling type potassium channel and the like have so far been identified. In addition, an ATP-dependent potassium channel, a pH-dependent potassium channel and the like have also been reported. Among them, the voltage-dependent potassium channel has a characteristic in that it opens when the membrane potential is depolarized. In general, potassium ions are present in a non-equilibrium state of about 5 mM outside the cell and about 150 mM inside the cell. Thus, when the voltage-dependent potassium channel is opened by depolarization, potassium ions flow out from intracellular part to extracellular part and, as a result, induce restoration of the membrane potential (re-polarization). Accordingly, the opening of voltage-dependent potassium channel induces reduction of excitability of nerve and muscle cells and the like. Also, it causes changes in cellular functions in non-excitatory cells too, such as increase in the driving force for Ca²⁺ and subsequent increase in the flow of the same ion into the intracellular part. A compound capable of modifying opening of the voltage-dependent channel has a possibility of controlling various functions of cells, including excitability of nerve and muscle cells.

Genes of some types of the voltage-dependent potassium channel have been isolated from the brain and heart, and primary structure of the protein has been revealed. Based on the primary structure, it has been suggested that the voltage-dependent potassium channel has six transmembrane domains (S1 to S6) and one ion permeation region (H5). Also, it is assumed that the fourth transmembrane domain S4 contains basic amino acids having positive charge at intervals of 3 to 4 bases and functions as a voltage sensor.

These channels are roughly divided into Shaker type and eag type, based on the similarity of amino acid sequences. The Shaker type is a family having markedly high diversity and can be further divided into four groups of Kv1, Kv2, Kv3 and Kv4. On the other hand, the eag type is constituted by eag, eag-related gene and elk, and it related genes include hyperpolarization activation type potassium channels corresponding to KAT gene cluster and a cation channel which is activated by a cyclic nucleotide.

Regarding the importance of voltage-dependent potassium current in the brain, several findings have been obtained using these cloned voltage-dependent potassium channels. For example, relationship of Kv1.1 with memory and pain has been suggested by antisense-aided in vivo experiments (Meiri, N. et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 4430-4434; Galeotti, N. et al. (1997) J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 281, 941-949). Regarding Kv3.1, its participation in the excitability of GABA activating interneuron in cerebral cortex has been shown (Massengill, J. et al. (1997) J. Neurosci., 3136-3147). On the other hand, some experiments carried out using tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine as non-selective inhibitors of the voltage-dependent potassium channel have also been reported. It has been shown that tetraethylammonium suppresses voltage-dependent potassium current in cerebral cortex nerve cells and also inhibits apoptosis of the same nerve cells (Yu, S. P. et al. (1997), Science, 278, 114-117). Also, it is known that intraventricular administration of 4-aminopyridine causes epileptic attack. These results suggest a possibility that an agent capable of controlling the activity of voltage-dependent potassium channel in the brain will become a therapeutic agent for central nervous system disorders such as dementia due to disturbance of memory and so on, nerve cell death accompanied by cerebral ischemia, epilepsy and the like.

On the other hand, most of the voltage-dependent potassium channels so far cloned are distributed in a large number of tissues among organs in the whole body. Thus, even when an agent which acts selectively on a specified voltage-dependent potassium channel is found, there is a possibility that the agent acts on many tissues and thereby induces originally unexpected agent effects. In order to find an agent having less side effects by targeting a potassium channel, it is necessary to clone a potassium channel in which its expressing tissue is restricted.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain, as a target of therapeutic agents for central nervous system disorders such as dementia, cerebral ischemic disorder, epilepsy and the like, and another object of the present invention is to provide a method for screening compounds and peptides capable of modifying activity of the same potassium channel protein, which are useful as therapeutic agents for central nervous system disorders, and a novel agent for use in the treatment of central nervous system disorders, which specifically acts upon the central nervous system and generates less side effects.

With the aim of solving the aforementioned problems, the present inventors have conducted intensive studies and, as a result, succeeded in isolating a gene coding for a novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain. The inventors have also succeeded in expressing the novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain and establishing a method for the screening of compounds and peptides capable of modifying activity of the same potassium channel protein.

The present invention relates to:

1) a potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof, which has an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6, or an amino acid sequence resulting from said amino acid sequence by substitution, deletion or insertion of certain amino acid(s), and is expressed exclusively in the brain,

2) the potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof according to the item 1), which is expressed exclusively in the human brain,

3) a potassium channel protein which has an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6,

4) a gene which has a gene sequence encoding the potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof described in the items 1) to 3),

5) a gene which has a gene sequence encoding an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6,

6) a gene which has a gene sequence selected from either of the 6th to 3257th gene sequence of Sequence No. 1 or the 4th to 3057th gene sequence of Sequence No. 5, or a gene which is degenerate with respect to said gene,

7) a vector which contains the gene of the items 4) to 6),

8) a host cell which contains the vector of the item 7), or

9) a method for producing the potassium channel protein described in the items 1) to 3), which uses the host cell of the item 8).

The terms to be used in the present invention are explained in the following.

The term “substitution, deletion or insertion of amino acid” means that one or a plurality of amino acids are substituted, deleted or inserted in the amino acid sequence selected from either of the Sequence Nos. 2 and 6.

The term “expressed exclusively in the brain” means that it is expressed in the brain but not expressed in the heart, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, pancreas, spleen, thymus, prostate, testis, ovary, small intestines, large intestine and peripheral blood leukocytes, illustratively, it means that when Northern blotting is carried out under the conditions of Examples, the signal is detected only in the brain and not detected in the heart, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, pancreas, spleen, thymus, prostate, testis, ovary, small intestines, large intestine and peripheral blood leukocytes.

Also, the term “equivalent” means a protein having a sequence in which one or a plurality of amino acids are substituted, deleted or inserted in the amino acid sequence of the protein which is expressed in the brain but not expressed in the heart, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, pancreas, spleen, thymus, prostate, testis, ovary, small intestines, large intestine and peripheral blood leukocytes, but still having the same functions when compared with the protein without alteration of its amino acid sequence.

The term “human origin” means that it is the same amino acid sequence of a potassium channel protein expressed in human.

In this connection, the potassium channel and the potassium channel protein are used as synonyms.

The novel potassium channel protein of the present invention or an equivalent thereof may be any potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof, with the proviso that it is expressed exclusively in the brain, but is preferably a human origin. Illustratively, a potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof, which has an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6, or has an amino acid sequence in which one or a plurality of amino acids in the amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6 are substituted, deleted or inserted, and is expressed exclusively in the brain, is included in the present invention and is preferably a human origin. More preferred is a potassium channel protein which has an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6.

The gene which has a gene sequence encoding the novel potassium channel protein of the present invention or an equivalent thereof may be any gene which has a gene sequence encoding a potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof expressed exclusively in the brain, but is preferably a gene which epcodes a potassium channel protein of human origin. Illustratively, a gene which encodes a potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof having an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6, or a gene which encodes a potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof having an amino acid sequence in which one or a plurality of amino acids in the amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6 are substituted, deleted or inserted, and is expressed exclusively in the brain, is included in the present invention, and the gene is preferably a gene which encodes a human origin potassium channel protein or an equivalent thereof. More preferred is a gene which encodes an amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6. Most preferred is a gene which has a gene sequence selected from either of the 6th to 3257th gene sequence of Sequence No. 1 or the 4th to 3057th gene sequence of Sequence No. 5. Also included in the present invention is a gene which hybridizes with the gene of Sequence No. 1 or 5 under a stringent condition.

Hybridization can be carried out in accordance with a known method (Maniatis, T. et al. (1982): “Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual”, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY). The term “stringent condition” means a condition that a sample after hybridization is washed twice in 2×SSC containing 0.1% SDS and then subjected to the following washing step.

This washing step means that the washing (65° C.) is carried out in 0.5×SSC containing 0.1% SDS, preferably in 0.2×SSC containing 0.1% SDS, most preferably in 0.1×SSC containing 0.1% SDS. A gene which encodes the novel potassium channel protein of the present invention can be obtained by the following methods.

1) Method for Producing Novel Potassium Channel Gene

a) First Production Method

mRNA is extracted from human cells or tissue capable of producing a novel potassium channel protein. Two primers between which the channel protein mRNA or a part of the mRNA region is located are used with the thus extracted mRNA as a template. By carrying out a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (to be referred to as RT-PCR hereinafter), the channel protein cDNA or a part thereof can be obtained. Thereafter, the channel protein can be produced by integrating the thus obtained novel potassium channel cDNA or a part of the same into an appropriate expression vector to carry out its expression in a host cell.

Firstly, from human cells or tissue capable of producing the novel potassium channel protein of the present invention, such as human cerebral cortex, mRNA containing that encoding the protein is extracted by a known method. Guanidine thiocyanate-hot phenol method, guanidine thiocyanate-guanidine hydrochloride method and the like can be exemplified as the extraction method, but guanidine thiocyanate-cesium chloride method can be cited as a preferred method. The cells or tissue capable of producing the protein can be identified, for example, by a western blotting method which uses an antibody specific for the protein.

Purification of the mRNA can be made in accordance with a usual method, for example, the mRNA can be purified by the adsorption and elution using an oligo(dT)-cellulose column. The mRNA can be further fractionated by a sucrose density gradient centrifugation or the like.

Alternatively, a commercially available mRNA extracted sample may be used without carrying out the extraction of the mRNA.

Next, single-stranded cDNA is synthesized by carrying out reverse transcriptase reaction of the thus purified mRNA in the presence of a random primer or an oligo dT primer. This synthesis can be carried out in the usual way. The thus obtained single-stranded cDNA is subjected to PCR using two primers between which a partial region of the gene of interest is located, thereby amplifying the novel potassium channel DNA of interest. The thus obtained DNA is fractionated by an agarose gel electrophoresis or the like. As occasion demands, a DNA fragment of interest can be obtained by carrying out digestion of the DNA with restriction enzymes and subsequent ligation.

b) Second Production Method

In addition to the above production method, the gene of the present invention can also be produced using conventional genetic engineering techniques. Firstly, single-stranded cDNA is synthesized using reverse transcriptase, making use of the mRNA obtained by the aforementioned method as a template, and then double-stranded cDNA is synthesized from the single-stranded cDNA. Examples of this method include S1 nuclease method (Efstratiadis, A. et al. (1976), Cell, 7, 279-288), Land method (Land, H. et al. (1981), Nucleic Acids Res., 9, 2251-2266), O. Joon Yoo method (Yoo, O. J. et al. (1983), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79, 1049-1053) and Okayama-Berg method (Okayama, H. and Berg, P. (1982), Mol. Cell. Biol., 2, 161-170).

Next, the recombinant plasmid obtained by the above method is introduced into an Escherichia coli strain, such as DH 5α, to effect its transformation, and then a transformant can be selected making use of tetracycline resistance or ampicillin resistance as a marker. When the host cell is E. coli, transformation of the host cell can be carried out, for example, by the method of Hanahan (Hanahan, D. (1983), J. Mol. Biol., 166, 557-580), namely a method in which the recombinant DNA is added to competent cells prepared in the presence of CaCl₂ and MgCl₂ or RbCl. In this connection, phage vectors such as a lambda system or the like can also be used as the vector in addition to a plasmid.

Regarding the method for selecting a strain containing DNA which encodes the novel potassium channel protein of interest from the transformants obtained above, various methods such as those shown below can be employed.

(i) A screening method which uses a synthetic oligonucleotide probe

An oligonucleotide which corresponds to the entire portion or a part of the novel potassium channel protein is synthesized (in this case, it may be either a nucleotide sequence taking the codon usage into consideration or a plurality of nucleotide sequences as a combination of possible nucleotide sequences, and in the latter case, their numbers can be reduced by including inosine) and, using this as a probe (labeled with ³²P or ³³P), hybridized with transformant DNA samples denatured and fixed on a nitrocellulose filter and the resulting positive strains are screened and selected.

(ii) A screening method which uses a probe prepared by polymerase chain reaction

Oligonucleotides of sense primer and antisense primer corresponding to a part of the novel potassium channel protein are synthesized, and a DNA fragment which encodes the entire portion or a part of the novel potassium channel protein of interest is amplified by carrying out polymerase chain reaction (Saiki, R. K. et al. (1988), Science, 239, 487-491) using these primers in combination. As the template DNA to be used herein, cDNA synthesized by reverse transcription reaction from mRNA of cells capable of producing the novel potassium channel protein, or genomic DNA, can be used. The thus prepared DNA fragment is labeled with ³²P or ³³P, and the clone of interest is selected by carrying out colony hybridization or plaque hybridization using this fragment as a probe.

(iii) A method in which screening is carried out by producing the novel potassium channel protein in other animal cells

Genes are amplified by culturing the transformants, and transfection of animal cells with the genes is carried out (in this case, either a plasmid which can replicate by itself and contains a transcription promoter region or a plasmid which can be integrated into the chromosome of animal cells may be used), thereby effecting production of proteins encoded by the genes on the cell surface. A strain containing cDNA which encodes the novel potassium channel protein of interest is selected by detecting the protein using an antibody for the novel potassium channel protein, or from the original transformants using the channel activity as a marker.

(iv) A method in which the selection is carried out using channel activity for the novel potassium channel protein as a marker

cDNA is integrated into an expression vector in advance, proteins are produced on the cell surface of transformants, and the strain of interest is selected by detecting desired novel potassium channel protein producing strains using the channel activity as a marker.

(v) A method in which the selection is carried out using an antibody for the novel potassium channel protein

cDNA is integrated into an expression vector in advance, proteins are produced on the cell surface of transformants, and the strain of interest is selected by detecting desired novel potassium channel protein producing strains using an antibody for the novel potassium channel protein and a second antibody for the first antibody.

(vi) A method which uses a selective hybridization translation system

cDNA obtained from each transformant is blotted for example on a nitrocellulose filter and hybridized with mRNA prepared from the novel potassium channel protein producing cells, and then the mRNA bonded to the cDNA is dissociated and recovered. The thus recovered mRNA is translated into protein in a protein translation system such as injection into Xenopus oocyte or a cell-free system such as a rabbit reticulocyte lysate, wheat germ or the like. A strain of interest is selected by the detection using an antibody for the novel potassium channel protein.

The method for collecting DNA which encodes the novel potassium channel protein from the thus obtained transformant of interest can be carried out in accordance with a known method (Maniatis, T. et al. (1982): “Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual”, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY). For example, it can be made by separating a fraction corresponding to the plasmid DNA from cells and cutting out the cDNA region from the plasmid DNA.

The method for collecting DNA which encodes the novel potassium channel protein from the thus obtained transformant of interest can be carried out in accordance with a known method (Maniatis, T. et al. (1982): “Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual”, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY). For example, it can be made by separating a fraction corresponding to the plasmid DNA from cells and cutting out the cDNA region from the plasmid DNA.

c) Third Production Method

The DNA having a nucleotide sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6 can also be produced by binding a gene fragment produced by-a chemical synthesis method. Each DNA can be synthesized using a DNA synthesizer (e.g., Oligo 1000M DNA Synthesizer (Beckman) or 394 DNA/RNA Synthesizer (Applied Biosystems)).

d) Fourth Production Method

In order to effect expression of the novel potassium channel protein function expressed exclusively in the brain by the substance obtained by genetic engineering techniques making use of the DNA of the present invention, it is not always necessary to have entire portion of the amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6; for example, when a part of the sequence shows functions of the novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain, such an amino acid sequence is also included in the potassium channel protein of the present invention. Also, as is known in the interferon gene and the like, it is considered that genes of eucaryote generally show polymorphism (e.g., see Nishi, T. et al. (1985), J. Biochem., 97, 153-159), so that there will be a case in which one or a plurality of amino acids are substituted due to the polymorphism or a case in which the nucleotide sequence is changed but the amino acids are not changed. In consequence, even in the case of a protein in which one or a plurality of amino acid residues are substituted, deleted or inserted at one or a plural positions in the amino acid sequence selected from either of Sequence Nos. 2 and 6, it is possible that it has the channel activity and is expressed exclusively in the brain. In the present invention, such a protein is called an equivalent of the novel potassium channel protein.

All genes which encode such equivalents of the novel potassium channel protein and have equivalent nucleotide sequences are included in the present invention. These various types of DNA of the present invention can also be produced by nucleic acid chemical synthesis in accordance with a usual method such as phosphite triester method (Hunkapiller, M. et al. (1984), Nature, 10, 105-111), based on the information on the aforementioned novel potassium channel protein. In this connection, codons for each amino acid are well known and can be optionally selected and determined in the usual way, for example by taking codon usage of each host to be used into consideration (Crantham, R. et al. (1981), Nucleic Acids Res., 9, r43-r74). In addition, partial modification of codons of these nucleotide sequences can be carried out in accordance with a usual method such as site specific mutagenesis which uses a primer comprised of a synthetic oligonucleotide coding for a desired modification (Mark, D. F. et al. (1984), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81, 5662-5666).

Determination of the DNA sequences obtained by the above methods a) to d) can be carried out by, for example, the Maxam-Gilbert chemical modification method (Maxam, A. M. and Gilbert, W. (1980): “Methods in Enzymology” 65, 499-559) or the dideoxynucleotide chain termination method which uses M13 (Messing, J. and Vieira, J (1982), Gene, 19, 269-276).

Also, the vector of the present invention, the host cell of the present invention and the potassium channel protein of the present invention can be obtained by the following methods.

2) Method for Producing Recombinant Protein of the Novel Potassium Channel

An isolated fragment containing a gene coding for the novel potassium channel protein can transform a host cell of other eucaryote by re-integrating it into an appropriate vector DNA. Also, it is possible to effect expression of the gene in respective host cell, by introducing an appropriate promoter and a sequence related to the gene expression into the vector.

Cells of vertebrates, insects, yeast and the like are included in the eucaryotic host cells, and COS cell as a simian cell (Gluzman, Y. (1981), Cell, 23, 175-182), a dihydrofolate reductase defective strain of Chinese hamster ovary cell (CHO) (Urlaub, G. and Chasin, L. A. (1980), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77, 4216-4220) and the like are frequently used as the vertebral cells, though not limited thereto.

The expression vector which can be used in vertebral cells generally has a promoter positioned at the upstream of the gene to be expressed, an RNA splicing region, a polyadenylation region, a transcription termination sequence and the like, and it may further have a replication origin as occasion demands. Examples of the expression vector include pSV2dhfr which has SV40 early promoter (Subramani, S. et al. (1981), Mol. Cell. Biol., 1, 854-864), though not limited thereto.

When COS cell is used as the host cell, a vector which has the SV40 replication origin, can perform autonomous replication and has a transcription promoter, a transcription termination signal and an RNA splicing region can be used as the expression vector, and its examples include pME18S (Maruyama, K. and Takebe, Y. (1990), Med. Immunol., 20, 27-32), pEF-BOS (Mizushima, S. and Nagata, S. (1990), Nucleic Acids Res., 18, 5322), pCDM8 (Seed, B. (1987), Nature, 329, 840-842) and the like. The expression vector can be incorporated into COS cell, for example, by DEAE-dextran method (Luthman, H. and Magnusson, G. (1983), Nucleic Acids Res., 11, 1295-1308), calcium phosphate-DNA co-precipitation method (Graham, F. L. and van der Ed, A. J. (1973), Virology, 52, 456-457) or electroporation (Neumann, E. et al. (1982), EMBO J., 1, 841-845), thereby obtaining a desired transformant cell. Also, when CHO cell is used as the host cell, a transformant cell capable of stably producing the novel potassium channel protein can be obtained by carrying out co-transfection of a expression vector together with a vector capable of expressing neo gene which functions as a G418 resistance marker, such as pRSVneo (Sambrook, J. et al. (1989): “Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual”, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY) or pSV2-neo (Southern, P. J. and Berg, P. (1982), J. Mol. Appl. Genet., 1, 327-341) or the like, and selecting G418 resistant colonies.

The thus obtained transformant of interest can be cultured in the usual way, and the novel potassium channel protein is produced inside the cells or on the cell surface. Regarding the medium to be used in the culturing, it can be optionally selected from various commonly used types depending on the host cell used, and in the case of the aforementioned COS cell for example, a medium such as RPMI-1640 medium, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's minimum essential medium (DMEM) or the like can be used by supplementing it with serum component such as fetal bovine serum (FBS) or the like as occasion demands.

The novel potassium channel protein thus produced in the cells or on the cell surface of the transformant can be separated and purified therefrom by various known separation techniques making use of the physical properties, chemical properties and the like of the channel protein. Illustrative examples of such techniques, to be carried out after solubilization of the channel protein-containing membrane fraction, include usual treatment with a protein precipitant, ultrafiltration, various liquid chromatography techniques such as molecular sieve chromatography (gel filtration), adsorption chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the like, dialysis and combinations thereof. In this connection, the membrane fraction can be obtained in the usual way. For example, it can be obtained by culturing the cells which expressed the novel potassium channel protein on the cell surface, suspending them in a buffer and then homogenizing and centrifuging them. Also, when the channel protein is solubilized using a solubilizing agent as mild as possible (CHAPS, Triton X-100, digitonin or the like), characteristics of the channel can be maintained after the solubilization.

A method for the screening of compounds and peptides capable of modifying activities of the potassium channel protein is included in the present invention. This screening method includes a means of adding an agent to be tested to the system and measuring the index, in which an index of the modification of potassium channel protein in response to a physiological characteristic of the potassium channel protein is measured making use of the thus constructed potassium channel protein which is expressed exclusively in the brain. The following screening methods can be cited as illustrative examples of this measuring system. Also, examples of the agents to be tested include compounds or peptides which are conventionally known to have potassium channel ligand activities but their ability to selectively modify activities of the potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain is not clear (e.g., compounds described in JP-A-4-178375; the term “JP-A” as used herein means an “unexamined published Japanese patent application”), various known compounds and peptides registered in chemical files but their potassium channel ligand activities are unknown, compounds obtained by combinatorial chemistry techniques and random peptides prepared by employing a method such as phage display and the like. In addition, culture supernatants of microorganisms and natural components originated from plants and marine organisms are also objects of the screening. Also useful are compounds or peptides obtained by chemically or biologically modifying a compound or peptide selected by the screening method of the present invention.

3) Method for the Screening of Compounds and Peptides Capable of Modifying Activities of the Novel Potassium Channel Protein

a) Screening Method to Which Voltage-clamp Method is Applied

Channel activities of the novel potassium channel protein can be measured by the whole-cell voltage-clamp method. Cells in which the channel protein is expressed are subjected to membrane potential fixation by the whole-cell voltage-clamp method and whole-cell current is measured. A solution containing 145 mM NaCl, 5.4 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl₂ and 0.8 mM MgCl₂ is used as the extracellular liquid, and a solution containing 155 mM KCl is used as the intracellular liquid (patch electrode solution). Compounds and peptides capable of modifying activities of the novel potassium channel protein can be screened by comparing outward currents generated by a depolarization stimulus, namely shifting of membrane potential from the holding potential (e.g., −70 mV) to the depolarization side (e.g., −80 mV), in the presence and absence of an agent to be tested.

b) Screening Method Utilizing Rb⁺ ion release In general, the potassium channel can pass Rb⁺ ion similar to K⁺ ion, so that its channel activity can be measured using radioactive isotope ⁸⁶Rb⁺ release as an index. By carrying out incubation of novel potassium channel protein-expressed cells together with ⁸⁶RbCl (e.g., 18 hr at 37° C.), ⁸⁶Rb⁺ can be incorporated into the cells. The cells are washed with low K⁺ concentration physiological saline (e.g., 4.5 mM K⁺) and then suspended in the same solution. When a high K⁺ concentration solution (e.g., 100 mM in final concentration) is added to the cell suspension, membrane potential of the cells is depolarized and the potassium channel is activated. Since ⁸⁶Rb⁺ inside the cells is thereby released into the extracellular moiety, the radioactivity in the extracellular liquid can be used as an index of the channel activity. Compounds and peptides capable of modifying activity of the novel potassium channel protein can be screened by comparing radioactivity released into the extracellular moiety when the high K⁺ concentration solution is added, in the presence and absence of an agent to be tested.

c) Screening Method Which Uses Voltage-sensitive Dye or Intracellular K⁺ Detecting Dye

A voltage-sensitive dye or a intracellular K⁺ detecting dye can optically detect changes in the membrane potential or intracellular K⁺ concentration accompanied by the opening of the potassium channel. As the voltage-sensitive dye, RH155, WW781, Di-4-ANEPPS or derivatives thereof can be used. Also, a chimeric protein prepared by inserting the amino acid sequence of green fluorescent protein into the C-terminal intracellular region of Shaker type voltage-dependent potassium channel can be used for the detection of membrane potential (Siegel, M. S. and Isacoff, E. Y. (1997), Neuron, 19, 735-741). As the intracellular K⁺ detecting dye, K⁺-binding benzofuran isophthalate and the like can be used. Since channel activity of the novel potassium channel can be measured by the use of these dyes, compounds and peptides capable of modifying activity of the novel potassium channel protein can be screened by comparing the changing amounts in the presence and absence of an agent to be tested.

A medicament which contains a compound or peptide capable of significantly modifying the activity of potassium channel protein exclusively expressed in the brain, selected by the aforementioned screening as an active ingredient, is included in the present invention.

The medicament of the present invention is characterized in that it has novel pharmacological action to selectively control activities of potassium channel in the brain, and the use of the medicament is for diseases caused by abnormalities (e.g., acceleration, reduction, and denaturation) of potassium channel activities in the brain or those which express and complicate such abnormalities, wherein their illustrative examples include central nervous system disorders such as dementia, cerebral ischemic disorder, epilepsy and the like.

The pharmaceutical preparation which contains a compound or peptide capable of modifying activity of the potassium channel protein of the present invention, as an active ingredient, can be prepared using carriers, fillers and other additives generally used in the preparation of medicaments, in response to each type of the active ingredient.

Examples of its administration include oral administration by tablets, pills, capsules, granules, fine granules, powders, oral solutions and the like, and parenteral administration by injections (e.g., intravenous, intramuscular or the like), suppositories, transdermal preparations, transmucosal absorption preparations and the like. Particularly, in the case of peptides which are digested by gastric acid, parenteral administration such as intravenous injection or the like, or lower gastrointestinal delivery administration is desirable.

In the solid composition for use in the oral administration according to the present invention, one or more active substances are mixed with at least one inert diluent such as lactose, mannitol, glucose, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, starch, polyvinyl pyrrolidone or aluminum magnesium silicate. In the usual way, the composition may contain other additives than the inert diluent, such as a lubricant, a disintegrating agent, a stabilizing agent and a solubilizing or solubilization assisting agent. If necessary, tablets or pills may be coated with a sugar coating or a film of a gastric or enteric substance.

The liquid composition for oral administration includes emulsions, solutions, suspensions, syrups and elixirs and contains a generally used inert diluent such as purified water or ethyl alcohol. In addition to the inert diluent, this composition may also contain other additives such as moistening agents, suspending agents, sweeteners, flavors and antiseptics.

The injections for parenteral administration includes aseptic aqueous or non-aqueous solutions, suspensions and emulsions. Examples of the diluent for use in the aqueous solutions and suspensions include distilled water for injection use and physiological saline. Examples of the diluent for use in the non-aqueous solutions and suspensions include propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, plant oil (e.g., olive oil or the like), alcohols (e.g., ethanol or the like), polysorbate 80 and the like. Such a composition may further contain a moistening agent, an emulsifying agent, a dispersing agent, a stabilizing agent, a solubilizing or solubilization assisting agent, an antiseptic and the like. These compositions are sterilized for example by filtration through a bacteria retaining filter, blending of a germicide or irradiation. Alternatively, they may be used by firstly making into sterile solid compositions and dissolving them in sterile water or other sterile solvent for injection use prior to their use.

The dose is optionally decided by taking into consideration strength of each active ingredient selected by the aforementioned screening method and symptoms, age, sex and the like of each patient to be administered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows amino acid sequences of Sequence No. 2 (upper line) and Sequence No. 6 (lower line) potassium channels.

FIG. 2 shows results of Northern analysis on the novel potassium channel in each human organ. A and B represent results on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 2, and C and D on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 6.

FIG. 3 shows results of Northern analysis on the novel potassium channel in each region of the human brain. A and B represent results on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 2, and C and D on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 6.

In FIG. 4, A and B show results of in situ hybridization regarding potassium channel (Sequence No. 2) (DG, the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus; CA1 and CA3, the pyramidal cell layer of the CA1 and CA3 fields of Ammon's horn; Cx, cerebral cortex). C and D represent enlarged images of cerebral cortex (arrows indicate signals in typical pyramidal cells). An antisense probe (in A and C) or a sense probe (in B and D) was used in the hybridization. The scale bar indicates 1.5 mm (A and B) or 50 μm (B and D).

FIG. 5 shows results of the detection of the channel activity of potassium channel (Sequence No. 2) by depolarization stimulus.

FIG. 6 shows results of the detection of the channel activity of potassium channel (Sequence No. 6) by depolarization stimulus.

FIG. 7 shows tail current of the potassium channel shown in Sequence No. 2.

FIG. 8 shows current response of the potassium channel shown in Sequence No. 6 in high potassium extracellular liquid.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In order to disclose the present invention more illustratively, examples are described in the following, but the present invention is not limited to the examples. In this connection, unless otherwise noted, they can be carried out in accordance with known methods (Maniatis, T. et al. (1982): “Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual”, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY).

EXAMPLE 1 Isolation of Gene Encoding the Novel Potassium Channel Protein

The full-length cDNA encoding the novel potassium channel protein was obtained by RT-PCR using human brain poly A⁺ RNA (Clontech) as a template.

In order to isolate gene of the potassium channel protein shown in Sequence No. 2, 5′-GGAATTCC CTA AGA TGC CGG CCA TGC-3′ (Sequence No. 3) was used as a forward primer, and 5′-GCTCTAGAGC ACT CTG AGG TTG GGC CGA AC-3′ (Sequence No. 4) as a reverse primer (EcoRI site and XbaI site are added to respective 5′-termini). RT-PCR was carried out by Hot Start method using Pfu DNA polymerase (Stratagene). After carrying out first thermal denaturation at 96° C. (1 minute), a cycle of 96° C. (10 seconds)/68° C. (30 seconds)/72° C. (7 minutes) was repeated 35 times. As a result, a DNA fragment of about 3.3 kbp was amplified. This fragment was digested with EcoRI and XbaI and then cloned using pME18S plasmid. Since the pME18S plasmid contains SR promoter which shows strong promoter activity in animal cells (Takebe, Y. et al. (1988), Mol. Cell. Biol., 8, 466-472), it can be used for expressing recombinant protein in animal cells. This plasmid was received from Dr. Saito at Chiba University (Maruyama, K and Takebe, Y. (1990), Med. Immunol., 20, 27-32). Nucleotide sequence of the thus obtained clone pME-E1 was analyzed by dideoxy terminator method using ABI377 DNA Sequencer (Applied Biosystems). The thus revealed sequence is shown in Sequence No. 1 of Sequence Listing.

This sequence has a 3252-base open reading frame (from the 6th to 3257th of Sequence No. 1). The amino acid sequence (1083 amino acids) deduced from the open leading frame is shown in Sequence No. 2 in the Sequence Listing.

In order to isolate gene of the potassium channel protein shown in Sequence No. 6, 5′-GCC ATG CCG GTC ATG AAG G-3′ (Sequence No. 7) was used as a forward primer, and 5′-GCC AGG GTC AGT GGA ATG TG-3′ (Sequence No. 8) as a reverse primer. RT-PCR was carried out by Hot Start method using TaKaRa LA Taq (Takara Shuzo). After carrying out first thermal denaturation at 98° C. (1 minute), a cycle of 98° C. (15 seconds)/68° C. (3 minutes) was repeated 35 times and then finally 10 minutes of extension reaction was carried out at 72° C. As a result, a DNA fragment of about 3.1 kbp was amplified. This fragment was cloned using pCR2.1 plasmid (Invitrogen). Nucleotide sequence of the thus obtained clone is shown in Sequence No. 5 of Sequence Listing. In order to express the gene in animal cells, it was subcloned in pM18S plasmid and named pME-E2. The Sequence No. 5 contains an open reading frame of 3,054 bases (from 4th to 3057th positions of Sequence No. 5). Amino acid sequence deduced from the open reading frame (1,017 amino acids) is shown in Sequence No. 6 of Sequence Listing.

Both of the amino acid sequences of the potassium channels have six hydrophobic regions considered to be transmembrane domains (S1 to S6) which are characteristic of voltage-dependent potassium channel. Also, the S4 domain which is considered to be a voltage sensor has a characteristic in that basic amino acids are continued at an interval of 3 amino acids, and a moderately basic sequence which corresponds to the H5 region is also present between S5 and S6. In addition, both amino acid sequences have high mutual homology. Results of the alignment of both amino acid sequences are shown in FIG. 1. Their homology was 48% with the entire amino acid sequences and 70% with the hydrophobic regions (from 227 position Trp to 508 position Tyr of Sequence No. 2 and from 229 position Trp to 482 position Tyr of Sequence No. 6). In this case, MegAlign program of an analyzing software Lasergene (DNASTAR) was used in the analyses of sequence alignment and homology.

EXAMPLE 2 Distribution of Novel Potassium Channel Gene Expression in Human Tissues

Distribution of the novel potassium channel gene expression was analyzed by Northern blot hybridization. A cDNA fragment corresponding to the C-terminal intracellular region (from 2105th to 2956th positions of Sequence No. 1 for the potassium channel of Sequence No. 2, or from 2241st to 2898th positions of Sequence No. 5 for the potassium channel of Sequence No. 6) was used as a probe. Hybridization of the probe with a membrane on which poly A⁺ RNA (2 μg) of each human organ had been blotted was carried out at 42° C. (18 hours) in a solution containing 50% formamide, 5×SSPE, 10×Denhardt's solution, 2% SDS and 100 μg/ml of denatured salmon sperm DNA. The membrane was finally washed twice with a solution containing 0.1×SSC and 0.1% SDS (at 55° C. on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 2 and at 60° C. on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 6, each for 30 minutes).

When Northern analysis was carried out on various human organs (the heart, brain, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, pancreas, spleen, thymus, prostate, testis, ovary, small intestines, large intestine and peripheral blood leukocyte), a signal of about 4 kb on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 2 and signals of about 4.4 kb and about 7.5 kb on the potassium channel of Sequence No. 6 were detected, all in the brain alone (FIG. 2). That is, it was found that the mRNA of both of the novel potassium channels is expressed exclusively in the brain. In this connection, selective expression of the Sequence No. 6 potassium channel mRNA in the brain was confirmed also by RT-PCR analysis.

In addition, the Northern analysis was carried out also on various regions of the human brain (cerebellum, cerebral cortex, medulla, spinal cord, cerebral cortex occipital lobe, cerebral cortex frontal lobe, cerebral cortex temporal lobe, putamen, amygdala, caudate nucleus, corpus callosum, hippocampus, substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus and thalamus). It was found that mRNA of the potassium channel shown in Sequence No. 2 is expressed exclusively in the telencephalon including cerebral cortex, caudate nucleus, hippocampus and striatum (putamen and caudate nucleus) (FIG. 3A and B). On the other hand, it was found that mRNA of the potassium channel shown in Sequence No. 6 is expressed frequently in striped body and cerebral cortex (FIG. 3C and D). Also, weak expression was found in hippocampus and amygdala. Distributions of both potassium channel genes were overlapped.

EXAMPLE 3 Distribution of Novel Potassium Channel Expression in Neurons of the Central Nervous System

In order to examine expression of the novel potassium channel gene in neurons of the central nervous system, in situ hybridization analysis of rat brain sections was carried out. The in situ hybridization was carried out in accordance with a report (Okumura, K. et al. (1997), oncogene, 14, 713-720) using an antisense RNA probe labeled with digoxigenin. A sense probe was used in the control test. These probes were prepared based on a rat potassium channel gene sequence revealed by the following procedure.

In order to obtain partial sequences of rat potassium channel genes, RT-PCR was carried out using 5′-ACC TTC CTG GAC ACC ATC GC-3′ (Sequence No. 11) and 5′-CCA AAC ACC ACC GCG TGC AT-3′ (Sequence No. 12) as primers. Both primers correspond to a region of from 14 to 20 positions and a region of from 493 to 499 positions of the amino acid sequence of Sequence No. 2, respectively. As a result of carrying out RT-PCR using poly A⁺ RNA isolated from rat brain as a template, fragments of about 1.5 kb and about 1.4 kb respectively corresponding to rat orthologous genes of the potassium channels described in Sequence No. 2 and Sequence No. 6 were obtained. Next, based on the nucleotide sequences revealed from the respective fragments, RACE was carried out on them to reveal complete length sequences. RACE was carried out using Rat Brain Marathon-Ready cDNA (Clontech) in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction. Sequence of the rat orthologous gene of the potassium channel described in Sequence No. 2 is shown in Sequence No. 9, and sequence of the rat orthologous gene of the potassium channel described in Sequence No. 6 is shown in Sequence No. 10.

An antisense sequence or sense sequence of from 2,683 to 3,204 positions of Sequence No. 9 was used as a probe for the aforementioned rat orthologous gene of the potassium channel described in Sequence No. 2. As a result of the in situ hybridization, signals were observed in hippocampus only when the antisense probe was used, and the expression was confirmed in the same region (FIG. 4A and B). The expression in hippocampus was observed in granule cells of the dentate gyrus, pyramidal cells of the CA1 and CA3 fields of Ammon's horn and the like neurons. Specific signals were also observed in pyramidal cells as neurons of cerebral cortex (FIG. 4C and D). Thus, it was confirmed that the potassium channel is expressed in the neurons of the central nervous system.

A sequence of from 3,140 to 3,750 positions of Sequence No. 10 was used as a probe for the aforementioned rat orthologous gene of the potassium channel described in Sequence No. 6. It was found that this potassium channel was strongly expressed in neurons of the cerebral cortex.

EXAMPLE 4 Induction of the Expression of Novel Potassium Channel Protein

In order to detect channel activity of the novel potassium channel protein, expression of the protein was induced in an animal cell. As the cell, L929 cell which does not generate current by intrinsic channel through changes in the membrane potential was used. Transfection of the cell was carried out by lipofectAMINE method using pME-E1 plasmid or pME-E2 plasmid.

EXAMPLE 5 Detection of Channel Activity of Novel Potassium Channel Protein

The transfected cell was voltage-clamped and whole-cell current was measured using the whole-cell voltage-clamp method. A solution containing 140 MM NaCl, 5.4 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl₂, 0.8 MM MgCl₂, 15 mM glucose and 10 mM HEPES-Na (pH=7.4) was used as the extracellular solution, and a solution containing 125 mM KCl, 1 mM CaCl₂, 2 mM MgCl₂, 11 mM EGTA and 10 mM HEPES-K (pH=7.2) was used as the intracellular solution.

The cell transfected with pME-E1 was depolarized to voltages between −40 mV and +80 mV at 20 mV intervals for 200 msec from the holding potential of −70 mV (FIG. 5), or the cells transfected with pME-E2 was depolarized to voltages between −60 mV and +60 mV at 20 mV intervals for 200 msec from the holding potential of −120 mV (FIG. 6). As a result, distinctive outward current was induced in both cells. It was found from this result that both of the protein shown in Sequence No. 2 and the protein shown in Sequence No. 6 are voltage-dependent channels.

EXAMPLE 6 Selectivity of K⁺ ion by Novel Potassium Channel Protein

In order to examine selectivity of K⁺ ion by the potassium channel shown in Sequence No. 2, tail current was measured. The current was examined by a method similar to Example 5. Based on the tail current (activation of the channel by depolarization stimulus of +80 mV for 200 msec from the holding potential of −70 mV and then re-polarization to voltages between −120 mV and −20 mV at 20 mV intervals), the reversal potential in this solution was found to be −80 mV (FIG. 7). Since this value almost coincided with the equilibrium potential of K⁺ obtained by the formula of Nernst (−87 mV, 25° C.; [K]out=5.4 mM, [K]in =158 mM), this channel was considered to have large selectivity for K⁺ ion.

An extracellular solution containing 155 mM KCl, 4.5 mM N-methyl-D-glucamine, 2 mM CaCl₂, 10 mM glucose and 10 mM HEPES (pH=7.4) was used for the examination of K⁺ selectivity of the potassium channel shown in Sequence No. 6. Other conditions were examined by a method similar to Example 5. When depolarization stimulus (between −20 mV and +20 mV at 10 mV intervals for 200 msec from the holding potential of −120 mV) was carried out, the current response was reversed at 0 mV (FIG. 8). It was estimated from this result that the reverse potential was approximately 0 mV. Since this value almost coincided with the equilibrium potential of K⁺ obtained by the formula of Nernst (−5 mV, 25° C.; [K]out=155 mM, [K]in=158 mM), and outward current was induced in Example 5, this channel was considered to have large selectivity for K⁺ ion.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A novel potassium channel protein expressed exclusively in the brain, a gene encoding this protein, a vector containing this gene, a host cell containing this vector and a method for producing this potassium channel protein were provided by the present invention.

Also, there was provided a method for the screening of new medicaments, particularly new therapeutic agents for central nervous system disorders, in which compounds and peptides capable of modifying activity of the potassium channel protein are screened by allowing the potassium channel protein of the present invention to contact with agents to be tested.

For example, among tissues in which the potassium channel of the present invention shown in Sequence No. 2 was expressed as the result of Example 3, hippocampus is a region where its relationship with memory and learning is strongly suggested (Lavitan, I. B. and Kaczmarek, L. K. (1991), The Neuron: Cell and Molecular Biology, Oxford University Press, New York, N.Y.). Particularly, granule cells of the dentate gyrus and pyramidal cells of the CA1 and CA3 fields in which expression of the potassium channel was confirmed form a neural circuit, and various memory inputs are transmitted from the granule cells of the dentate gyrus to pyramidal cells of the CA3 field via pyramidal cells of the CA1 field, mediated by an excitatory synapse which uses glutamic acid as a neurotransmitter. It is considered that long-term changes in the efficiency of synaptic transmission observed in respective synapse, such as long-term increase and long-term repression, are deeply concerned in memory and learning. These long-term changes are controlled by the excitation frequency and excitation strength of nerve cells, and voltage-dependent potassium channels generally have a possibility of being able to control excitability of neurons, so that the potassium channel protein of the present invention which is a voltage-dependent potassium channel has a possibility that it is concerned in the formation of memory and learning via the excitability control of neurons.

Regarding the medicament which contains a compound or peptide capable of-specifically modifying activity of the potassium channel protein of the present invention as its active ingredient, its usefulness is expected for example as a therapeutic agent for central nervous system disorders such as dementia, cerebral ischemic disorders and epilepsy, which acts central nervous system-specifically and has less side effects.

12 1 3323 DNA Homo sapiens CDS (6)..(3257) 1 ctaag atg ccg gcc atg cgg ggc ctc ctg gcg cct cag aac acc ttc ctg 50 Met Pro Ala Met Arg Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gln Asn Thr Phe Leu 1 5 10 15 gac acc atc gct acg cgc ttc gac ggc acg cac agt aac ttc gtg ctg 98 Asp Thr Ile Ala Thr Arg Phe Asp Gly Thr His Ser Asn Phe Val Leu 20 25 30 ggc aac gcc cag gtg gcg ggg ctc ttc ccc gtg gtc tac tgc tct gat 146 Gly Asn Ala Gln Val Ala Gly Leu Phe Pro Val Val Tyr Cys Ser Asp 35 40 45 ggc ttc tgt gac ctc acg ggc ttc tcc cgg gct gag gtc atg cag cgg 194 Gly Phe Cys Asp Leu Thr Gly Phe Ser Arg Ala Glu Val Met Gln Arg 50 55 60 ggc tgt gcc tgc tcc ttc ctt tat ggg cca gac acc agt gag ctc gtc 242 Gly Cys Ala Cys Ser Phe Leu Tyr Gly Pro Asp Thr Ser Glu Leu Val 65 70 75 cgc caa cag atc cgc aag gcc ctg gac gag cac aag gag ttc aag gct 290 Arg Gln Gln Ile Arg Lys Ala Leu Asp Glu His Lys Glu Phe Lys Ala 80 85 90 95 gag ctg atc ctg tac cgg aag agc ggg ctc ccg ttc tgg tgt ctc ctg 338 Glu Leu Ile Leu Tyr Arg Lys Ser Gly Leu Pro Phe Trp Cys Leu Leu 100 105 110 gat gtg ata ccc ata aag aat gag aaa ggg gag gtg gct ctc ttc cta 386 Asp Val Ile Pro Ile Lys Asn Glu Lys Gly Glu Val Ala Leu Phe Leu 115 120 125 gtc tct cac aag gac atc agc gaa acc aag aac cga ggg ggc ccc gac 434 Val Ser His Lys Asp Ile Ser Glu Thr Lys Asn Arg Gly Gly Pro Asp 130 135 140 aga tgg aag gag aca ggt ggt ggc cgg cgc cga tat ggc cgg gca cga 482 Arg Trp Lys Glu Thr Gly Gly Gly Arg Arg Arg Tyr Gly Arg Ala Arg 145 150 155 tcc aaa ggc ttc aat gcc aac cgg cgg cgg agc cgg gcc gtg ctc tac 530 Ser Lys Gly Phe Asn Ala Asn Arg Arg Arg Ser Arg Ala Val Leu Tyr 160 165 170 175 cac ctg tcc ggg cac ctg cag aag cag ccc aag ggc aag cac aag ctc 578 His Leu Ser Gly His Leu Gln Lys Gln Pro Lys Gly Lys His Lys Leu 180 185 190 aat aag ggg gtg ttt ggg gag aaa cca aac ttg cct gag tac aaa gta 626 Asn Lys Gly Val Phe Gly Glu Lys Pro Asn Leu Pro Glu Tyr Lys Val 195 200 205 gcc gcc atc cgg aag tcg ccc ttc atc ctg ttg cac tgt ggg gca ctg 674 Ala Ala Ile Arg Lys Ser Pro Phe Ile Leu Leu His Cys Gly Ala Leu 210 215 220 aga gcc acc tgg gat ggc ttc atc ctg ctc gcc aca ctc tat gtg gct 722 Arg Ala Thr Trp Asp Gly Phe Ile Leu Leu Ala Thr Leu Tyr Val Ala 225 230 235 gtc act gtg ccc tac agc gtg tgt gtg agc aca gca cgg gag ccc agt 770 Val Thr Val Pro Tyr Ser Val Cys Val Ser Thr Ala Arg Glu Pro Ser 240 245 250 255 gcc gcc cgc ggc ccg ccc agc gtc tgt gac ctg gcc gtg gag gtc ctc 818 Ala Ala Arg Gly Pro Pro Ser Val Cys Asp Leu Ala Val Glu Val Leu 260 265 270 ttc atc ctt gac att gtg ctg aat ttc cgt acc aca ttc gtg tcc aag 866 Phe Ile Leu Asp Ile Val Leu Asn Phe Arg Thr Thr Phe Val Ser Lys 275 280 285 tcg ggc cag gtg gtg ttt gcc cca aag tcc att tgc ctc cac tac gtc 914 Ser Gly Gln Val Val Phe Ala Pro Lys Ser Ile Cys Leu His Tyr Val 290 295 300 acc acc tgg ttc ctg ctg gat gtc atc gca gcg ctg ccc ttt gac ctg 962 Thr Thr Trp Phe Leu Leu Asp Val Ile Ala Ala Leu Pro Phe Asp Leu 305 310 315 cta cat gcc ttc aag gtc aac gtg tac ttc ggg gcc cat ctg ctg aag 1010 Leu His Ala Phe Lys Val Asn Val Tyr Phe Gly Ala His Leu Leu Lys 320 325 330 335 acg gtg cgc ctg ctg cgc ctg ctg cgc ctg ctt ccg cgg ctg gac cgg 1058 Thr Val Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Pro Arg Leu Asp Arg 340 345 350 tac tcg cag tac agc gcc gtg gtg ctg aca ctg ctc atg gcc gtg ttc 1106 Tyr Ser Gln Tyr Ser Ala Val Val Leu Thr Leu Leu Met Ala Val Phe 355 360 365 gcc ctg ctc gcg cac tgg gtc gcc tgc gtc tgg ttt tac att ggc cag 1154 Ala Leu Leu Ala His Trp Val Ala Cys Val Trp Phe Tyr Ile Gly Gln 370 375 380 cgg gag atc gag agc agc gaa tcc gag ctg cct gag att ggc tgg ctg 1202 Arg Glu Ile Glu Ser Ser Glu Ser Glu Leu Pro Glu Ile Gly Trp Leu 385 390 395 cag gag ctg gcc cgc cga ctg gag act ccc tac tac ctg gtg ggc cgg 1250 Gln Glu Leu Ala Arg Arg Leu Glu Thr Pro Tyr Tyr Leu Val Gly Arg 400 405 410 415 agg cca gct gga ggg aac agc tcc ggc cag agt gac aac tgc agc agc 1298 Arg Pro Ala Gly Gly Asn Ser Ser Gly Gln Ser Asp Asn Cys Ser Ser 420 425 430 agc agc gag gcc aac ggg acg ggg ctg gag ctg ctg ggc ggc ccg tcg 1346 Ser Ser Glu Ala Asn Gly Thr Gly Leu Glu Leu Leu Gly Gly Pro Ser 435 440 445 ctg cgc agc gcc tac atc acc tcc ctc tac ttc gca ctc agc agc ctc 1394 Leu Arg Ser Ala Tyr Ile Thr Ser Leu Tyr Phe Ala Leu Ser Ser Leu 450 455 460 acc agc gtg ggc ttc ggc aac gtg tcc gcc aac acg gac acc gag aag 1442 Thr Ser Val Gly Phe Gly Asn Val Ser Ala Asn Thr Asp Thr Glu Lys 465 470 475 atc ttc tcc atc tgc acc atg ctc atc ggc gcc ctg atg cac gcg gtg 1490 Ile Phe Ser Ile Cys Thr Met Leu Ile Gly Ala Leu Met His Ala Val 480 485 490 495 gtg ttt ggg aac gtg acg gcc atc atc cag cgc atg tac gcc cgc cgc 1538 Val Phe Gly Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ile Gln Arg Met Tyr Ala Arg Arg 500 505 510 ttt ctg tac cac agc cgc acg cgc gac ctg cgc gac tac atc cgc atc 1586 Phe Leu Tyr His Ser Arg Thr Arg Asp Leu Arg Asp Tyr Ile Arg Ile 515 520 525 cac cgt atc ccc aag ccc ctc aag cag cgc atg ctg gag tac ttc cag 1634 His Arg Ile Pro Lys Pro Leu Lys Gln Arg Met Leu Glu Tyr Phe Gln 530 535 540 gcc acc tgg gcg gtg aac aat ggc atc gac acc acc gag ctg ctg cag 1682 Ala Thr Trp Ala Val Asn Asn Gly Ile Asp Thr Thr Glu Leu Leu Gln 545 550 555 agc ctc cct gac gag ctg cgc gca gac atc gcc atg cac ctg cac aag 1730 Ser Leu Pro Asp Glu Leu Arg Ala Asp Ile Ala Met His Leu His Lys 560 565 570 575 gag gtc ctg cag ctg cca ctg ttt gag gcg gcc agc cgc ggc tgc ctg 1778 Glu Val Leu Gln Leu Pro Leu Phe Glu Ala Ala Ser Arg Gly Cys Leu 580 585 590 cgg gca ctg tct ctg gcc ctg cgg ccc gcc ttc tgc acg ccg ggc gag 1826 Arg Ala Leu Ser Leu Ala Leu Arg Pro Ala Phe Cys Thr Pro Gly Glu 595 600 605 tac ctc atc cac caa ggc gat gcc ctg cag gcc ctc tac ttt gtc tgc 1874 Tyr Leu Ile His Gln Gly Asp Ala Leu Gln Ala Leu Tyr Phe Val Cys 610 615 620 tct ggc tcc atg gag gtg ctc aag ggt ggc acc gtg ctc gcc atc cta 1922 Ser Gly Ser Met Glu Val Leu Lys Gly Gly Thr Val Leu Ala Ile Leu 625 630 635 ggg aag ggc gac ctg atc ggc tgt gag ctg ccc cgg cgg gag cag gtg 1970 Gly Lys Gly Asp Leu Ile Gly Cys Glu Leu Pro Arg Arg Glu Gln Val 640 645 650 655 gta aag gcc aat gcc gac gtg aag ggg ctg acg tac tgc gtc ctg cag 2018 Val Lys Ala Asn Ala Asp Val Lys Gly Leu Thr Tyr Cys Val Leu Gln 660 665 670 tgt ctg cag ctg gct ggc ctg cac gac agc ctt gcg ctg tac ccc gag 2066 Cys Leu Gln Leu Ala Gly Leu His Asp Ser Leu Ala Leu Tyr Pro Glu 675 680 685 ttt gcc ccg cgc ttc agt cgt ggc ctc cga ggg gag ctc agc tac aac 2114 Phe Ala Pro Arg Phe Ser Arg Gly Leu Arg Gly Glu Leu Ser Tyr Asn 690 695 700 ctg ggt gct ggg gga ggc tct gca gag gtg gac acc agc tcc ctg agc 2162 Leu Gly Ala Gly Gly Gly Ser Ala Glu Val Asp Thr Ser Ser Leu Ser 705 710 715 ggc gac aat acc ctt atg tcc acg ctg gag gag aag gag aca gat ggg 2210 Gly Asp Asn Thr Leu Met Ser Thr Leu Glu Glu Lys Glu Thr Asp Gly 720 725 730 735 gag cag ggc ccc acg gtc tcc cca gcc cca gct gat gag ccc tcc agc 2258 Glu Gln Gly Pro Thr Val Ser Pro Ala Pro Ala Asp Glu Pro Ser Ser 740 745 750 ccc ctg ctg tcc cct ggc tgc acc tcc tca tcc tca gct gcc aag ctg 2306 Pro Leu Leu Ser Pro Gly Cys Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser Ala Ala Lys Leu 755 760 765 cta tcc cca cgt cga aca gca ccc cgg cct cgt cta ggt ggc aga ggg 2354 Leu Ser Pro Arg Arg Thr Ala Pro Arg Pro Arg Leu Gly Gly Arg Gly 770 775 780 agg cca ggc agg gca ggg gct ttg aag gct gag gct ggc ccc tct gct 2402 Arg Pro Gly Arg Ala Gly Ala Leu Lys Ala Glu Ala Gly Pro Ser Ala 785 790 795 ccc cca cgg gcc cta gag ggg cta cgg ctg ccc ccc atg cca tgg aat 2450 Pro Pro Arg Ala Leu Glu Gly Leu Arg Leu Pro Pro Met Pro Trp Asn 800 805 810 815 gtg ccc cca gat ctg agc ccc agg gta gta gat ggc att gaa gac ggc 2498 Val Pro Pro Asp Leu Ser Pro Arg Val Val Asp Gly Ile Glu Asp Gly 820 825 830 tgt ggc tcg gac cag ccc aag ttc tct ttc cgc gtg ggc cag tct ggc 2546 Cys Gly Ser Asp Gln Pro Lys Phe Ser Phe Arg Val Gly Gln Ser Gly 835 840 845 ccg gaa tgt agc agc agc ccc tcc cct gga cca gag agc ggc ctg ctc 2594 Pro Glu Cys Ser Ser Ser Pro Ser Pro Gly Pro Glu Ser Gly Leu Leu 850 855 860 act gtt ccc cat ggg ccc agc gag gca agg aac aca gac aca ctg gac 2642 Thr Val Pro His Gly Pro Ser Glu Ala Arg Asn Thr Asp Thr Leu Asp 865 870 875 aag ctt cgg cag gcg gtg aca gag ctg tca gag cag gtg ctg cag atg 2690 Lys Leu Arg Gln Ala Val Thr Glu Leu Ser Glu Gln Val Leu Gln Met 880 885 890 895 cgg gaa gga ctg cag tca ctt cgc cag gct gtg cag ctt gtc ctg gcg 2738 Arg Glu Gly Leu Gln Ser Leu Arg Gln Ala Val Gln Leu Val Leu Ala 900 905 910 ccc cac agg gag ggt ccg tgc cct cgg gca tcg gga gag ggg ccg tgc 2786 Pro His Arg Glu Gly Pro Cys Pro Arg Ala Ser Gly Glu Gly Pro Cys 915 920 925 cca gcc agc acc tcc ggg ctt ctg cag cct ctg tgt gtg gac act ggg 2834 Pro Ala Ser Thr Ser Gly Leu Leu Gln Pro Leu Cys Val Asp Thr Gly 930 935 940 gca tcc tcc tac tgc ctg cag ccc cca gct ggc tct gtc ttg agt ggg 2882 Ala Ser Ser Tyr Cys Leu Gln Pro Pro Ala Gly Ser Val Leu Ser Gly 945 950 955 act tgg ccc cac cct cgt ccg ggg cct cct ccc ctc atg gca ccc tgg 2930 Thr Trp Pro His Pro Arg Pro Gly Pro Pro Pro Leu Met Ala Pro Trp 960 965 970 975 ccc tgg ggt ccc cca gcg tct cag agc tcc ccc tgg cct cga gcc aca 2978 Pro Trp Gly Pro Pro Ala Ser Gln Ser Ser Pro Trp Pro Arg Ala Thr 980 985 990 gct ttc tgg acc tcc acc tca gac tca gag ccc cct gcc tca gga gac 3026 Ala Phe Trp Thr Ser Thr Ser Asp Ser Glu Pro Pro Ala Ser Gly Asp 995 1000 1005 ctc tgc tct gag ccc agc acc cct gcc tcc cct cct cct tct gag gaa 3074 Leu Cys Ser Glu Pro Ser Thr Pro Ala Ser Pro Pro Pro Ser Glu Glu 1010 1015 1020 ggg gct agg act ggg ccc gca gag cct gtg agc cag gct gag gct acc 3122 Gly Ala Arg Thr Gly Pro Ala Glu Pro Val Ser Gln Ala Glu Ala Thr 1025 1030 1035 agc act gga gag ccc cca cca ggg tca ggg ggc ctg gcc ttg ccc tgg 3170 Ser Thr Gly Glu Pro Pro Pro Gly Ser Gly Gly Leu Ala Leu Pro Trp 1040 1045 1050 1055 gac ccc cac agc ctg gag atg gtg ctt att ggc tgc cat ggc tct ggc 3218 Asp Pro His Ser Leu Glu Met Val Leu Ile Gly Cys His Gly Ser Gly 1060 1065 1070 aca gtc cag tgg acc cag gaa gaa ggc aca ggg gtc tga gtaccagccc 3267 Thr Val Gln Trp Thr Gln Glu Glu Gly Thr Gly Val 1075 1080 tagaactcag cgttgccagg tgtgctgcca tctgctgttc ggcccaacct cagagt 3323 2 1083 PRT Homo sapiens 2 Met Pro Ala Met Arg Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gln Asn Thr Phe Leu Asp 1 5 10 15 Thr Ile Ala Thr Arg Phe Asp Gly Thr His Ser Asn Phe Val Leu Gly 20 25 30 Asn Ala Gln Val Ala Gly Leu Phe Pro Val Val Tyr Cys Ser Asp Gly 35 40 45 Phe Cys Asp Leu Thr Gly Phe Ser Arg Ala Glu Val Met Gln Arg Gly 50 55 60 Cys Ala Cys Ser Phe Leu Tyr Gly Pro Asp Thr Ser Glu Leu Val Arg 65 70 75 80 Gln Gln Ile Arg Lys Ala Leu Asp Glu His Lys Glu Phe Lys Ala Glu 85 90 95 Leu Ile Leu Tyr Arg Lys Ser Gly Leu Pro Phe Trp Cys Leu Leu Asp 100 105 110 Val Ile Pro Ile Lys Asn Glu Lys Gly Glu Val Ala Leu Phe Leu Val 115 120 125 Ser His Lys Asp Ile Ser Glu Thr Lys Asn Arg Gly Gly Pro Asp Arg 130 135 140 Trp Lys Glu Thr Gly Gly Gly Arg Arg Arg Tyr Gly Arg Ala Arg Ser 145 150 155 160 Lys Gly Phe Asn Ala Asn Arg Arg Arg Ser Arg Ala Val Leu Tyr His 165 170 175 Leu Ser Gly His Leu Gln Lys Gln Pro Lys Gly Lys His Lys Leu Asn 180 185 190 Lys Gly Val Phe Gly Glu Lys Pro Asn Leu Pro Glu Tyr Lys Val Ala 195 200 205 Ala Ile Arg Lys Ser Pro Phe Ile Leu Leu His Cys Gly Ala Leu Arg 210 215 220 Ala Thr Trp Asp Gly Phe Ile Leu Leu Ala Thr Leu Tyr Val Ala Val 225 230 235 240 Thr Val Pro Tyr Ser Val Cys Val Ser Thr Ala Arg Glu Pro Ser Ala 245 250 255 Ala Arg Gly Pro Pro Ser Val Cys Asp Leu Ala Val Glu Val Leu Phe 260 265 270 Ile Leu Asp Ile Val Leu Asn Phe Arg Thr Thr Phe Val Ser Lys Ser 275 280 285 Gly Gln Val Val Phe Ala Pro Lys Ser Ile Cys Leu His Tyr Val Thr 290 295 300 Thr Trp Phe Leu Leu Asp Val Ile Ala Ala Leu Pro Phe Asp Leu Leu 305 310 315 320 His Ala Phe Lys Val Asn Val Tyr Phe Gly Ala His Leu Leu Lys Thr 325 330 335 Val Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Pro Arg Leu Asp Arg Tyr 340 345 350 Ser Gln Tyr Ser Ala Val Val Leu Thr Leu Leu Met Ala Val Phe Ala 355 360 365 Leu Leu Ala His Trp Val Ala Cys Val Trp Phe Tyr Ile Gly Gln Arg 370 375 380 Glu Ile Glu Ser Ser Glu Ser Glu Leu Pro Glu Ile Gly Trp Leu Gln 385 390 395 400 Glu Leu Ala Arg Arg Leu Glu Thr Pro Tyr Tyr Leu Val Gly Arg Arg 405 410 415 Pro Ala Gly Gly Asn Ser Ser Gly Gln Ser Asp Asn Cys Ser Ser Ser 420 425 430 Ser Glu Ala Asn Gly Thr Gly Leu Glu Leu Leu Gly Gly Pro Ser Leu 435 440 445 Arg Ser Ala Tyr Ile Thr Ser Leu Tyr Phe Ala Leu Ser Ser Leu Thr 450 455 460 Ser Val Gly Phe Gly Asn Val Ser Ala Asn Thr Asp Thr Glu Lys Ile 465 470 475 480 Phe Ser Ile Cys Thr Met Leu Ile Gly Ala Leu Met His Ala Val Val 485 490 495 Phe Gly Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ile Gln Arg Met Tyr Ala Arg Arg Phe 500 505 510 Leu Tyr His Ser Arg Thr Arg Asp Leu Arg Asp Tyr Ile Arg Ile His 515 520 525 Arg Ile Pro Lys Pro Leu Lys Gln Arg Met Leu Glu Tyr Phe Gln Ala 530 535 540 Thr Trp Ala Val Asn Asn Gly Ile Asp Thr Thr Glu Leu Leu Gln Ser 545 550 555 560 Leu Pro Asp Glu Leu Arg Ala Asp Ile Ala Met His Leu His Lys Glu 565 570 575 Val Leu Gln Leu Pro Leu Phe Glu Ala Ala Ser Arg Gly Cys Leu Arg 580 585 590 Ala Leu Ser Leu Ala Leu Arg Pro Ala Phe Cys Thr Pro Gly Glu Tyr 595 600 605 Leu Ile His Gln Gly Asp Ala Leu Gln Ala Leu Tyr Phe Val Cys Ser 610 615 620 Gly Ser Met Glu Val Leu Lys Gly Gly Thr Val Leu Ala Ile Leu Gly 625 630 635 640 Lys Gly Asp Leu Ile Gly Cys Glu Leu Pro Arg Arg Glu Gln Val Val 645 650 655 Lys Ala Asn Ala Asp Val Lys Gly Leu Thr Tyr Cys Val Leu Gln Cys 660 665 670 Leu Gln Leu Ala Gly Leu His Asp Ser Leu Ala Leu Tyr Pro Glu Phe 675 680 685 Ala Pro Arg Phe Ser Arg Gly Leu Arg Gly Glu Leu Ser Tyr Asn Leu 690 695 700 Gly Ala Gly Gly Gly Ser Ala Glu Val Asp Thr Ser Ser Leu Ser Gly 705 710 715 720 Asp Asn Thr Leu Met Ser Thr Leu Glu Glu Lys Glu Thr Asp Gly Glu 725 730 735 Gln Gly Pro Thr Val Ser Pro Ala Pro Ala Asp Glu Pro Ser Ser Pro 740 745 750 Leu Leu Ser Pro Gly Cys Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser Ala Ala Lys Leu Leu 755 760 765 Ser Pro Arg Arg Thr Ala Pro Arg Pro Arg Leu Gly Gly Arg Gly Arg 770 775 780 Pro Gly Arg Ala Gly Ala Leu Lys Ala Glu Ala Gly Pro Ser Ala Pro 785 790 795 800 Pro Arg Ala Leu Glu Gly Leu Arg Leu Pro Pro Met Pro Trp Asn Val 805 810 815 Pro Pro Asp Leu Ser Pro Arg Val Val Asp Gly Ile Glu Asp Gly Cys 820 825 830 Gly Ser Asp Gln Pro Lys Phe Ser Phe Arg Val Gly Gln Ser Gly Pro 835 840 845 Glu Cys Ser Ser Ser Pro Ser Pro Gly Pro Glu Ser Gly Leu Leu Thr 850 855 860 Val Pro His Gly Pro Ser Glu Ala Arg Asn Thr Asp Thr Leu Asp Lys 865 870 875 880 Leu Arg Gln Ala Val Thr Glu Leu Ser Glu Gln Val Leu Gln Met Arg 885 890 895 Glu Gly Leu Gln Ser Leu Arg Gln Ala Val Gln Leu Val Leu Ala Pro 900 905 910 His Arg Glu Gly Pro Cys Pro Arg Ala Ser Gly Glu Gly Pro Cys Pro 915 920 925 Ala Ser Thr Ser Gly Leu Leu Gln Pro Leu Cys Val Asp Thr Gly Ala 930 935 940 Ser Ser Tyr Cys Leu Gln Pro Pro Ala Gly Ser Val Leu Ser Gly Thr 945 950 955 960 Trp Pro His Pro Arg Pro Gly Pro Pro Pro Leu Met Ala Pro Trp Pro 965 970 975 Trp Gly Pro Pro Ala Ser Gln Ser Ser Pro Trp Pro Arg Ala Thr Ala 980 985 990 Phe Trp Thr Ser Thr Ser Asp Ser Glu Pro Pro Ala Ser Gly Asp Leu 995 1000 1005 Cys Ser Glu Pro Ser Thr Pro Ala Ser Pro Pro Pro Ser Glu Glu Gly 1010 1015 1020 Ala Arg Thr Gly Pro Ala Glu Pro Val Ser Gln Ala Glu Ala Thr Ser 1025 1030 1035 1040 Thr Gly Glu Pro Pro Pro Gly Ser Gly Gly Leu Ala Leu Pro Trp Asp 1045 1050 1055 Pro His Ser Leu Glu Met Val Leu Ile Gly Cys His Gly Ser Gly Thr 1060 1065 1070 Val Gln Trp Thr Gln Glu Glu Gly Thr Gly Val 1075 1080 3 26 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePrimer 3 ggaattccct aagatgccgg ccatgc 26 4 30 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePrimer 4 gctctagagc actctgaggt tgggccgaac 30 5 3064 DNA Homo sapiens CDS (4)..(3057) 5 gcc atg ccg gtc atg aag ggg ttg ctg gcc ccg caa aac acc ttc ctg 48 Met Pro Val Met Lys Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gln Asn Thr Phe Leu 1 5 10 15 gac acc atc gcc acc cgt ttt gac gga acg cac agc aac ttc ctg ctg 96 Asp Thr Ile Ala Thr Arg Phe Asp Gly Thr His Ser Asn Phe Leu Leu 20 25 30 gcc aac gca cag ggc aca cgg ggc ttt ccc atc gtc tac tgc tcc gac 144 Ala Asn Ala Gln Gly Thr Arg Gly Phe Pro Ile Val Tyr Cys Ser Asp 35 40 45 ggc ttc tgc gag ctc aca ggc tac ggt cgc acc gag gtc atg cag aag 192 Gly Phe Cys Glu Leu Thr Gly Tyr Gly Arg Thr Glu Val Met Gln Lys 50 55 60 acc tgc agc tgc cgt ttc ctc tac ggc cca gag acc agt gag cca gcc 240 Thr Cys Ser Cys Arg Phe Leu Tyr Gly Pro Glu Thr Ser Glu Pro Ala 65 70 75 ctg cag cgt ctg cac aaa gcc ctg gag ggc cac cag gag cac cgg gct 288 Leu Gln Arg Leu His Lys Ala Leu Glu Gly His Gln Glu His Arg Ala 80 85 90 95 gaa atc tgc ttc tac cgc aag gat ggc tca gcc ttt tgg tgc ctc ctg 336 Glu Ile Cys Phe Tyr Arg Lys Asp Gly Ser Ala Phe Trp Cys Leu Leu 100 105 110 gac atg atg ccc atc aag aat gag atg ggg gag gtc gtg ctg ttc ctc 384 Asp Met Met Pro Ile Lys Asn Glu Met Gly Glu Val Val Leu Phe Leu 115 120 125 ttt tcc ttc aag gat atc act cag agt gga agc cca gga ctt ggc ccc 432 Phe Ser Phe Lys Asp Ile Thr Gln Ser Gly Ser Pro Gly Leu Gly Pro 130 135 140 caa gga ggc cgc ggg gac agt aat cac gaa aac tcc ctt ggt aga agg 480 Gln Gly Gly Arg Gly Asp Ser Asn His Glu Asn Ser Leu Gly Arg Arg 145 150 155 gga gcc acc tgg aaa ttt cgg tct gcc aga aga cgg agc cgt act gtc 528 Gly Ala Thr Trp Lys Phe Arg Ser Ala Arg Arg Arg Ser Arg Thr Val 160 165 170 175 cta cac cga ctg acc ggc cac ttt ggc cgc cgg ggc cag gga ggc atg 576 Leu His Arg Leu Thr Gly His Phe Gly Arg Arg Gly Gln Gly Gly Met 180 185 190 aag gcc aat aat aac gtg ttt gag cca aag cca tca gtg ccc gag tac 624 Lys Ala Asn Asn Asn Val Phe Glu Pro Lys Pro Ser Val Pro Glu Tyr 195 200 205 aag gtg gcc tcc gtg ggg ggg tct cgc tgc ctc ctc ctc cac tac agc 672 Lys Val Ala Ser Val Gly Gly Ser Arg Cys Leu Leu Leu His Tyr Ser 210 215 220 gtc tcc aag gcc atc tgg gac ggc ctt atc ctc ctt gcc acc ttc tac 720 Val Ser Lys Ala Ile Trp Asp Gly Leu Ile Leu Leu Ala Thr Phe Tyr 225 230 235 gtt gcg gtc acc gtc ccc tac aat gtc tgt ttc tcg ggt gac gat gac 768 Val Ala Val Thr Val Pro Tyr Asn Val Cys Phe Ser Gly Asp Asp Asp 240 245 250 255 acc ccc atc act tcg cga cac acc ctt gtc agc gac atc gcc gtg gaa 816 Thr Pro Ile Thr Ser Arg His Thr Leu Val Ser Asp Ile Ala Val Glu 260 265 270 atg ctc ttc atc cta gat atc atc ctg aac ttc cgc acc acc tat gtg 864 Met Leu Phe Ile Leu Asp Ile Ile Leu Asn Phe Arg Thr Thr Tyr Val 275 280 285 tcc cag tcc ggc cag gta atc tct gct cct cgt tcc att ggc ctc cac 912 Ser Gln Ser Gly Gln Val Ile Ser Ala Pro Arg Ser Ile Gly Leu His 290 295 300 tac ctg gcc acc tgg ttc ttc atc gac ctt att gct gct ctg ccc ttt 960 Tyr Leu Ala Thr Trp Phe Phe Ile Asp Leu Ile Ala Ala Leu Pro Phe 305 310 315 gac ctg ctt tac atc ttc aac atc acc gtg acc tcg ctg gtg cac cta 1008 Asp Leu Leu Tyr Ile Phe Asn Ile Thr Val Thr Ser Leu Val His Leu 320 325 330 335 ctg aag aca gtg cgg ctg ttg cgg ctg ctg cgg ctg ctg cag aag ctg 1056 Leu Lys Thr Val Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Gln Lys Leu 340 345 350 gag cgg tac tct cag tgc agt gct gtg gtg ctc acg ctg ctc atg tcg 1104 Glu Arg Tyr Ser Gln Cys Ser Ala Val Val Leu Thr Leu Leu Met Ser 355 360 365 gtc ttt gcg ctc ctt gcc cac tgg atg gcc tgc atc tgg tat gtc atc 1152 Val Phe Ala Leu Leu Ala His Trp Met Ala Cys Ile Trp Tyr Val Ile 370 375 380 ggg cgc cgg gag atg gag gcc aat gac ccg ctg ctc tgg gac att ggc 1200 Gly Arg Arg Glu Met Glu Ala Asn Asp Pro Leu Leu Trp Asp Ile Gly 385 390 395 tgg ttg cat gag ttg ggc aag cgt ctg gag gtg ccc tat gtc aat ggc 1248 Trp Leu His Glu Leu Gly Lys Arg Leu Glu Val Pro Tyr Val Asn Gly 400 405 410 415 tcg gtg ggc ggc cca tca cgg cgc agc gcc tac atc gcg gca ctg tac 1296 Ser Val Gly Gly Pro Ser Arg Arg Ser Ala Tyr Ile Ala Ala Leu Tyr 420 425 430 ttc act cta agc agc ctc acc agt gtg ggc ttt ggc aac gtg tgt gcc 1344 Phe Thr Leu Ser Ser Leu Thr Ser Val Gly Phe Gly Asn Val Cys Ala 435 440 445 aac acc gac gcg gag aag atc ttc tcc atc tgc acg atg ctc ata ggc 1392 Asn Thr Asp Ala Glu Lys Ile Phe Ser Ile Cys Thr Met Leu Ile Gly 450 455 460 gcc ctg atg cac gct gtg gtg ttc ggg aac gtg aca gcc atc atc cag 1440 Ala Leu Met His Ala Val Val Phe Gly Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ile Gln 465 470 475 cgc atg tac tcg cgc cgc tcg ctc tac cac agc cgc atg aag gac ctc 1488 Arg Met Tyr Ser Arg Arg Ser Leu Tyr His Ser Arg Met Lys Asp Leu 480 485 490 495 aag gac ttc atc cgt gtg cac cgc ctg ccg cgg ccg ctc aag cag cgc 1536 Lys Asp Phe Ile Arg Val His Arg Leu Pro Arg Pro Leu Lys Gln Arg 500 505 510 atg ctc gaa tac ttc cag acc acg tgg gcc gtc aac agc ggc atc gac 1584 Met Leu Glu Tyr Phe Gln Thr Thr Trp Ala Val Asn Ser Gly Ile Asp 515 520 525 gcc aac gag tta ctg cgt gac ttc cca gac gag ctg aga gct gac att 1632 Ala Asn Glu Leu Leu Arg Asp Phe Pro Asp Glu Leu Arg Ala Asp Ile 530 535 540 gct atg cac ctg aat cgg gag atc ctg cag ctg ccg ttg ttc ggg gca 1680 Ala Met His Leu Asn Arg Glu Ile Leu Gln Leu Pro Leu Phe Gly Ala 545 550 555 gcg agc agg ggc tgc ctg cgg gcc cta tcg ctg cac atc aag acc tcg 1728 Ala Ser Arg Gly Cys Leu Arg Ala Leu Ser Leu His Ile Lys Thr Ser 560 565 570 575 ttc tgc gct ccg ggc gag tac ctg ttg cgc cgt ggg gat gcc ctg cag 1776 Phe Cys Ala Pro Gly Glu Tyr Leu Leu Arg Arg Gly Asp Ala Leu Gln 580 585 590 gca cat tac tat gtc tgc tcc ggc tcg ctt gag gtg ctc cga gac aac 1824 Ala His Tyr Tyr Val Cys Ser Gly Ser Leu Glu Val Leu Arg Asp Asn 595 600 605 atg gtg ctg gcc atc ctg ggg aag ggg gac ctg att gga gca gat atc 1872 Met Val Leu Ala Ile Leu Gly Lys Gly Asp Leu Ile Gly Ala Asp Ile 610 615 620 cct gag ccg ggg cag gag cct ggg ttg gga gca gac cca aac ttc gtg 1920 Pro Glu Pro Gly Gln Glu Pro Gly Leu Gly Ala Asp Pro Asn Phe Val 625 630 635 cta aag acc agt gct gat gtg aaa gct ctg acc tac tgt ggc ctg cag 1968 Leu Lys Thr Ser Ala Asp Val Lys Ala Leu Thr Tyr Cys Gly Leu Gln 640 645 650 655 cag ctg agc agc cga ggg ctg gct gag gtc ctg agg ctc tat cct gag 2016 Gln Leu Ser Ser Arg Gly Leu Ala Glu Val Leu Arg Leu Tyr Pro Glu 660 665 670 tat ggg gct gcc ttc cgg gct ggc ctg ccc cgg gac ctc acc ttc aac 2064 Tyr Gly Ala Ala Phe Arg Ala Gly Leu Pro Arg Asp Leu Thr Phe Asn 675 680 685 ctg cgc cag ggc tct gac acc agt ggc ctc agc cgc ttt tcc cga tcc 2112 Leu Arg Gln Gly Ser Asp Thr Ser Gly Leu Ser Arg Phe Ser Arg Ser 690 695 700 cct cgc ctc tcc cag ccc cgc tca gaa agc ctc ggc tcc tcc tca gac 2160 Pro Arg Leu Ser Gln Pro Arg Ser Glu Ser Leu Gly Ser Ser Ser Asp 705 710 715 aag acg ctg cca tcc atc aca gag gcc gag agt ggc gcg gag cct ggg 2208 Lys Thr Leu Pro Ser Ile Thr Glu Ala Glu Ser Gly Ala Glu Pro Gly 720 725 730 735 ggt ggt ccc agg ccc cga cgg ccc ctc ctg ctg ccc aac ctc agc cca 2256 Gly Gly Pro Arg Pro Arg Arg Pro Leu Leu Leu Pro Asn Leu Ser Pro 740 745 750 gca cgg cct cgg ggc tcc ctg gtc agc ctt ttg ggc gag gag ctg ccc 2304 Ala Arg Pro Arg Gly Ser Leu Val Ser Leu Leu Gly Glu Glu Leu Pro 755 760 765 cca ttc tca gcc ctt gtc tcc tct cct tcc tta tcc cca tcc ctg tcc 2352 Pro Phe Ser Ala Leu Val Ser Ser Pro Ser Leu Ser Pro Ser Leu Ser 770 775 780 cct gcc ctg gct ggc cag ggc cac agt gcc tcc cct cac ggc ccc ccc 2400 Pro Ala Leu Ala Gly Gln Gly His Ser Ala Ser Pro His Gly Pro Pro 785 790 795 agg tgc tct gct gcc tgg aag ccc cct cag ctt ctc att ccc cca ctg 2448 Arg Cys Ser Ala Ala Trp Lys Pro Pro Gln Leu Leu Ile Pro Pro Leu 800 805 810 815 gga acc ttt gga cct ccg gac ctc agt ccc cgg ata gtg gat ggc att 2496 Gly Thr Phe Gly Pro Pro Asp Leu Ser Pro Arg Ile Val Asp Gly Ile 820 825 830 gag gac tct ggc agc aca gct gag gcc cct tca ttc cga ttc agc agg 2544 Glu Asp Ser Gly Ser Thr Ala Glu Ala Pro Ser Phe Arg Phe Ser Arg 835 840 845 agg cct gaa ctg cca agg ccc cgc tcc cag gcg ccc cct aca ggg acc 2592 Arg Pro Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Arg Ser Gln Ala Pro Pro Thr Gly Thr 850 855 860 agg ccc agc cca gaa ttg gcc agt gag gct gag gag gtg aag gaa aag 2640 Arg Pro Ser Pro Glu Leu Ala Ser Glu Ala Glu Glu Val Lys Glu Lys 865 870 875 gtt tgc cgg ctg aac cag gag atc tct cgt ctc aat cag gag gtg tct 2688 Val Cys Arg Leu Asn Gln Glu Ile Ser Arg Leu Asn Gln Glu Val Ser 880 885 890 895 cag ctt agc cgg gag ctg cgg cac atc atg ggc ctg ctg cag gcc agg 2736 Gln Leu Ser Arg Glu Leu Arg His Ile Met Gly Leu Leu Gln Ala Arg 900 905 910 ctg ggt ccc cca ggc cac cca gca ggc tcc gct tgg acc cca gac cct 2784 Leu Gly Pro Pro Gly His Pro Ala Gly Ser Ala Trp Thr Pro Asp Pro 915 920 925 cct tgt cca cag ctg agg cca cca tgc ctc tct cct tgt gcg tcc aga 2832 Pro Cys Pro Gln Leu Arg Pro Pro Cys Leu Ser Pro Cys Ala Ser Arg 930 935 940 cca cca ccc agc ctc cag gat act acg ctt gct gaa gtt cac tgc cca 2880 Pro Pro Pro Ser Leu Gln Asp Thr Thr Leu Ala Glu Val His Cys Pro 945 950 955 gcc agt gtg ggg acc atg gag aca ggg act gcg ctc ctg gac ttg aga 2928 Ala Ser Val Gly Thr Met Glu Thr Gly Thr Ala Leu Leu Asp Leu Arg 960 965 970 975 cct tcc ata ttg ccc ccc tac ccc tca gag cct gac cct ctg gga ccc 2976 Pro Ser Ile Leu Pro Pro Tyr Pro Ser Glu Pro Asp Pro Leu Gly Pro 980 985 990 tct cca gtg cca gag gcc tca ccc cca acc cca agc ctc ttg agg cac 3024 Ser Pro Val Pro Glu Ala Ser Pro Pro Thr Pro Ser Leu Leu Arg His 995 1000 1005 agt ttc cag tcc agg tca gac aca ttc cac tga ccctggc 3064 Ser Phe Gln Ser Arg Ser Asp Thr Phe His 1010 1015 6 1017 PRT Homo sapiens 6 Met Pro Val Met Lys Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gln Asn Thr Phe Leu Asp 1 5 10 15 Thr Ile Ala Thr Arg Phe Asp Gly Thr His Ser Asn Phe Leu Leu Ala 20 25 30 Asn Ala Gln Gly Thr Arg Gly Phe Pro Ile Val Tyr Cys Ser Asp Gly 35 40 45 Phe Cys Glu Leu Thr Gly Tyr Gly Arg Thr Glu Val Met Gln Lys Thr 50 55 60 Cys Ser Cys Arg Phe Leu Tyr Gly Pro Glu Thr Ser Glu Pro Ala Leu 65 70 75 80 Gln Arg Leu His Lys Ala Leu Glu Gly His Gln Glu His Arg Ala Glu 85 90 95 Ile Cys Phe Tyr Arg Lys Asp Gly Ser Ala Phe Trp Cys Leu Leu Asp 100 105 110 Met Met Pro Ile Lys Asn Glu Met Gly Glu Val Val Leu Phe Leu Phe 115 120 125 Ser Phe Lys Asp Ile Thr Gln Ser Gly Ser Pro Gly Leu Gly Pro Gln 130 135 140 Gly Gly Arg Gly Asp Ser Asn His Glu Asn Ser Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly 145 150 155 160 Ala Thr Trp Lys Phe Arg Ser Ala Arg Arg Arg Ser Arg Thr Val Leu 165 170 175 His Arg Leu Thr Gly His Phe Gly Arg Arg Gly Gln Gly Gly Met Lys 180 185 190 Ala Asn Asn Asn Val Phe Glu Pro Lys Pro Ser Val Pro Glu Tyr Lys 195 200 205 Val Ala Ser Val Gly Gly Ser Arg Cys Leu Leu Leu His Tyr Ser Val 210 215 220 Ser Lys Ala Ile Trp Asp Gly Leu Ile Leu Leu Ala Thr Phe Tyr Val 225 230 235 240 Ala Val Thr Val Pro Tyr Asn Val Cys Phe Ser Gly Asp Asp Asp Thr 245 250 255 Pro Ile Thr Ser Arg His Thr Leu Val Ser Asp Ile Ala Val Glu Met 260 265 270 Leu Phe Ile Leu Asp Ile Ile Leu Asn Phe Arg Thr Thr Tyr Val Ser 275 280 285 Gln Ser Gly Gln Val Ile Ser Ala Pro Arg Ser Ile Gly Leu His Tyr 290 295 300 Leu Ala Thr Trp Phe Phe Ile Asp Leu Ile Ala Ala Leu Pro Phe Asp 305 310 315 320 Leu Leu Tyr Ile Phe Asn Ile Thr Val Thr Ser Leu Val His Leu Leu 325 330 335 Lys Thr Val Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Gln Lys Leu Glu 340 345 350 Arg Tyr Ser Gln Cys Ser Ala Val Val Leu Thr Leu Leu Met Ser Val 355 360 365 Phe Ala Leu Leu Ala His Trp Met Ala Cys Ile Trp Tyr Val Ile Gly 370 375 380 Arg Arg Glu Met Glu Ala Asn Asp Pro Leu Leu Trp Asp Ile Gly Trp 385 390 395 400 Leu His Glu Leu Gly Lys Arg Leu Glu Val Pro Tyr Val Asn Gly Ser 405 410 415 Val Gly Gly Pro Ser Arg Arg Ser Ala Tyr Ile Ala Ala Leu Tyr Phe 420 425 430 Thr Leu Ser Ser Leu Thr Ser Val Gly Phe Gly Asn Val Cys Ala Asn 435 440 445 Thr Asp Ala Glu Lys Ile Phe Ser Ile Cys Thr Met Leu Ile Gly Ala 450 455 460 Leu Met His Ala Val Val Phe Gly Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ile Gln Arg 465 470 475 480 Met Tyr Ser Arg Arg Ser Leu Tyr His Ser Arg Met Lys Asp Leu Lys 485 490 495 Asp Phe Ile Arg Val His Arg Leu Pro Arg Pro Leu Lys Gln Arg Met 500 505 510 Leu Glu Tyr Phe Gln Thr Thr Trp Ala Val Asn Ser Gly Ile Asp Ala 515 520 525 Asn Glu Leu Leu Arg Asp Phe Pro Asp Glu Leu Arg Ala Asp Ile Ala 530 535 540 Met His Leu Asn Arg Glu Ile Leu Gln Leu Pro Leu Phe Gly Ala Ala 545 550 555 560 Ser Arg Gly Cys Leu Arg Ala Leu Ser Leu His Ile Lys Thr Ser Phe 565 570 575 Cys Ala Pro Gly Glu Tyr Leu Leu Arg Arg Gly Asp Ala Leu Gln Ala 580 585 590 His Tyr Tyr Val Cys Ser Gly Ser Leu Glu Val Leu Arg Asp Asn Met 595 600 605 Val Leu Ala Ile Leu Gly Lys Gly Asp Leu Ile Gly Ala Asp Ile Pro 610 615 620 Glu Pro Gly Gln Glu Pro Gly Leu Gly Ala Asp Pro Asn Phe Val Leu 625 630 635 640 Lys Thr Ser Ala Asp Val Lys Ala Leu Thr Tyr Cys Gly Leu Gln Gln 645 650 655 Leu Ser Ser Arg Gly Leu Ala Glu Val Leu Arg Leu Tyr Pro Glu Tyr 660 665 670 Gly Ala Ala Phe Arg Ala Gly Leu Pro Arg Asp Leu Thr Phe Asn Leu 675 680 685 Arg Gln Gly Ser Asp Thr Ser Gly Leu Ser Arg Phe Ser Arg Ser Pro 690 695 700 Arg Leu Ser Gln Pro Arg Ser Glu Ser Leu Gly Ser Ser Ser Asp Lys 705 710 715 720 Thr Leu Pro Ser Ile Thr Glu Ala Glu Ser Gly Ala Glu Pro Gly Gly 725 730 735 Gly Pro Arg Pro Arg Arg Pro Leu Leu Leu Pro Asn Leu Ser Pro Ala 740 745 750 Arg Pro Arg Gly Ser Leu Val Ser Leu Leu Gly Glu Glu Leu Pro Pro 755 760 765 Phe Ser Ala Leu Val Ser Ser Pro Ser Leu Ser Pro Ser Leu Ser Pro 770 775 780 Ala Leu Ala Gly Gln Gly His Ser Ala Ser Pro His Gly Pro Pro Arg 785 790 795 800 Cys Ser Ala Ala Trp Lys Pro Pro Gln Leu Leu Ile Pro Pro Leu Gly 805 810 815 Thr Phe Gly Pro Pro Asp Leu Ser Pro Arg Ile Val Asp Gly Ile Glu 820 825 830 Asp Ser Gly Ser Thr Ala Glu Ala Pro Ser Phe Arg Phe Ser Arg Arg 835 840 845 Pro Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Arg Ser Gln Ala Pro Pro Thr Gly Thr Arg 850 855 860 Pro Ser Pro Glu Leu Ala Ser Glu Ala Glu Glu Val Lys Glu Lys Val 865 870 875 880 Cys Arg Leu Asn Gln Glu Ile Ser Arg Leu Asn Gln Glu Val Ser Gln 885 890 895 Leu Ser Arg Glu Leu Arg His Ile Met Gly Leu Leu Gln Ala Arg Leu 900 905 910 Gly Pro Pro Gly His Pro Ala Gly Ser Ala Trp Thr Pro Asp Pro Pro 915 920 925 Cys Pro Gln Leu Arg Pro Pro Cys Leu Ser Pro Cys Ala Ser Arg Pro 930 935 940 Pro Pro Ser Leu Gln Asp Thr Thr Leu Ala Glu Val His Cys Pro Ala 945 950 955 960 Ser Val Gly Thr Met Glu Thr Gly Thr Ala Leu Leu Asp Leu Arg Pro 965 970 975 Ser Ile Leu Pro Pro Tyr Pro Ser Glu Pro Asp Pro Leu Gly Pro Ser 980 985 990 Pro Val Pro Glu Ala Ser Pro Pro Thr Pro Ser Leu Leu Arg His Ser 995 1000 1005 Phe Gln Ser Arg Ser Asp Thr Phe His 1010 1015 7 19 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePrimer 7 gccatgccgg tcatgaagg 19 8 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePrimer 8 gccagggtca gtggaatgtg 20 9 3715 DNA Rattus sp. 9 ctgctggggc ctacgaacct gggccgggca tagccccccg acggctactc tagggggcgc 60 ggggcccggc ggggggcggc cgagccaggc gccctccccc ggcgctgagt ccccgcgccc 120 cggagggatg gggcgggcgg tccccgccgc ctaagatgcc ggccatgcgg gggctccttg 180 cgccgcagaa caccttcctg gacaccatcg ccacccgctt cgacgggacg cacagtaact 240 tcgtcctggg caacgcccag gtggcagggc tcttccctgt ggtctactgc tccgatggct 300 tctgtgacct cacgggtttc tccagagctg aggtcatgca gcgaggctgt gcctgctcct 360 tcctctatgg gccagacacc agtgagttgg tccgccaaca gatccgaaaa gccctggatg 420 agcacaaaga attcaaggct gaactgatcc tgtaccggaa gagcgggctt ccattctggt 480 gtctcctgga tgtgatacct ataaaaaacg agaaggggga ggtggccctc ttcctggtct 540 ctcacaagga catcagtgag accaagaacc gaggaggccc tgacaactgg aaggagagag 600 gtggtggccg acgcagatat ggtcgggcag gatccaaagg ctttaatgcc aatcggaggc 660 gcagccgggc ggttctctac cacctctctg gtcacctgca gaaacaaccc aagggcaagc 720 acaaactcaa taagggtgtg tttggagaga agccaaattt gcccgaatat aaagtcgctg 780 ctatccggaa gtcacccttt atcctgctgc actgtggggc tctgagagcc acctgggatg 840 gcttcatcct gctcgccacg ctctacgtgg ctgtcactgt gccatacagc gtgtgtgtga 900 gcacagcacg ggagcccagt gctgcccgtg gcccacctag tgtctgtgac ctggccgtgg 960 aagtcctctt catcttagat attgtgctga attttcgtac tacatttgtg tccaagtcag 1020 gccaggtggt attcgcccca aagtccattt gcctccacta cgtcaccacc tggttcctgc 1080 tggatgtcat agcagcactg ccctttgacc tactacatgc cttcaaggtc aatgtgtacg 1140 ttggggctca cctactgaag accgtgcggc tgcttcggct gctgcgccta ctaccaagac 1200 tggaccggta ctctcagtat agcgctgttg tgctcacctt gctcatggct gtgtttgccc 1260 tgctcgccca ctgggtggcc tgcgtttggt tctacatcgg ccagcaagag attgagaaca 1320 gcgagtcaga gctgcctgag atcggctggc tgcaggagct ggcacgcagg ctggagacgc 1380 cctattacct ggtgagccgg agtccagatg gagggaacag ctctggccag agtgaaaact 1440 gcagtagcag tggcggcggc agcgaagcca acgggactgg gctggagctg ctgggtggcc 1500 catccctacg cagcgcctac atcacctcct tgtacttcgc gctcagcagt ctcaccagtg 1560 tgggcttcgg caatgtgtcc gctaacacag acactgagaa gattttctcc atctgcacca 1620 tgcttattgg agctctgatg catgcagtgg tgtttgggaa tgtgacagcc atcatccagc 1680 gcatgtacgc tcgccgcttt ctgtaccaca gccgcacccg tgacctgcga gactacattc 1740 gcatccaccg catccccaag cccctcaagc agcgcatgct cgagtacttc caagccacct 1800 gggccgtgaa caacggcatc gataccactg agctgctgca gagccttccg gatgagcttc 1860 gagcagacat cgccatgcac ctgcacaagg aggtcctgca gctgccattg ttcgaggcag 1920 cgagccgtgg ctgcctgcgg gcactgtctc tggccctgag gcccgccttc tgcacgccgg 1980 gcgagtacct cattcaccaa ggcgatgctc tccaggctct ctactttgtg tgctcaggtt 2040 ccatggaggt cctcaaaggt ggcaccgtcc tcgccattct agggaagggt gacctgatcg 2100 gctgtgagct gccccagcga gagcaagtag tgaaggccaa tgccgacgta aaggggctga 2160 catactgcgt cctacagtgc ctgcagctgg ctgggctgca cgagagcctc gcactgtacc 2220 ctgagtttgc cccacgcttt agccgtggcc tccgagggga gctcagctac aacctgggag 2280 ctggaggagt gtctgcagag gtggatacca gctcactgag tggtgacaac accctcatgt 2340 ccacactgga ggagaaggag acagatgggg agcaaggaca cacgatctca ccagccccag 2400 cagatgagcc ctccagcccc ctgctgtcac ctggctgtac ctcctcctcc tcagcggcca 2460 aactactctc cccacgtcga actgcacccc ggccgaggct gggtggcaga gggcggccaa 2520 gtagggcagg ggttttgaag cctgaggctg gtccttctgc tcatccacgg acacttgatg 2580 ggttgcagct gccccccatg ccatggaatg tacctccaga cctgagcccc agggtcgtag 2640 atggcattga ggatggctgc ggctctgacc agcacaagtt ctctttccgg gtgggtcagt 2700 ctggcccaga atgtagcagc agcccctccc caggaacaga gagtggcctg ctcactgtcc 2760 ccttggtgcc cagtgaggca agaaacacag acacactgga caagctacgg caggcggtga 2820 cggagctgtc tgaacaggtg ctgcagatgc gagagggact gcagtcactt cgccaggctg 2880 tgcagctcat cctggtgccc caaggggaag gccagtgtcc ccgggtatca ggagaggggc 2940 catgcccagc cactgcctct gggctcctac aacccctgcg tgtggacact ggggcatcat 3000 cctactgcct gcagccccca gcaggttcag tcttgagtgg gacctggcct cacccccgtc 3060 cagggcatcc ccctcccctc atggcaccct ggccctgggg ccccccagca tctcagagct 3120 ccccctggcc tcgagccaca gctttatgga cctccacctc agactcagag ccccctggct 3180 ctggagacct ctgctctgag cccagcaccc cagcctcacc ccctcctcct gaggaaggag 3240 ctaggactgg gactcctgca cctgtgagcc aggctgaggc taccagtact ggagagcccc 3300 ctccggggtc agggggccga gccttgccct gggatcccca cagcctagag atggtgctca 3360 tcggctgcca tggccctggc tcggtccagt ggacccagga ggagggcaca ggagtctgac 3420 cacaggcagg gagaggggtt ctgcaaacac ccgccacctg ctgaccgccc agcctcacag 3480 ggctgccctc tggctcaggg cagggaacct aaggaaggag gagggtgagc tggagcctca 3540 ggccccaggc cagggatcca cgggttctgc tccactgacc tgacccaatg ggggcagagg 3600 cctgaggacg aggaggggtt ctgccattcc ttgcatgtgc ccatctccac tgtcctctgt 3660 cctcatgttt tttatattaa aaaacataaa aaaaaaccaa taaagaaact acttt 3715 10 3736 DNA Rattus sp. 10 caggcagcgg cggcgagagg aggggaggag gcaggccggc gcatggggcg ccccggcccc 60 gccggtagcg cgccccctcc ggccaggccg cgctgaacgc agcccgcgca acgcctcgaa 120 ttcgtacccg gggccatgcc ggtcatgaag gggttgctgg ccccgcaaaa cacctttctg 180 gacaccatcg ccactcgctt tgacggcacg cacagcaact ttcttctggc caatgcccag 240 ggcccacggg gttttcccat cgtctactgc tctgacggct tctgtgagct cacaggctac 300 ggccgcaccg aggtcatgca gaaaacctgt agctgccggt tcctctatgg cccagagacc 360 agtgagccgg ccttgcaacg gttacaaaaa gccctggagg gccaccaaga acacagagct 420 gaaatctgct tttaccgaaa ggatggctcg gccttttggt gtcttctgga catgatgccc 480 atcaaaaatg agctggggga ggtggtgctt ttcctatttt cctttaagga catctctcag 540 agtggaggcc caggacttgg ctcaccaggg atccatgggg acaataataa tcatgaaaac 600 tcccttggga ggagaggagc tagctcaaga cttaggtcca cgaggaggca gaaccggaca 660 gttctacacc ggttgactgg ccactttggt cgccgggacc agggaagcgt gaaagccaat 720 agtaacgtgt ttgagccaaa gccatcagtg cctgagtaca aagtggcctc cgtggggggc 780 tcccgctgcc tgctcctcca ctacagcatc cccaaggctg tctgggacgg tctcatcctt 840 ctcgctacgt tctacgtcgc ggtcaccgtc ccttacaacg tctgcttcgc tggtgatgac 900 gacaccccca tcacgtcccg acacaccctt gtcagtgaca tcgctgtgga gatgctcttc 960 atcctggaca tcatcttgaa cttccgcacc acctacgtgt cccagtcggg ccaggtggtt 1020 tctgctcctc ggtccattgg cctccactac ctggccacct ggttcttcgt ggacctcatt 1080 gctgctttgc cctttgacct gctgtatgtc ttcaacatca ctgtgacctc gctggtacat 1140 ctgctgaaaa ccgtgcggct cctgcggttg ctgaggctgc tgcagaagct agagcggtac 1200 tctcagtgca gcgcggtggt gctcacgctg ctcatgtccg tctttgcact ccttgcccac 1260 tggatggcct gcgtctggta tgtcatcggg cgccgggaga tggaggccaa tgacccgctg 1320 ctctgggaca ttggttggtt gcatgagctg ggtaagcggc tggaggagcc ttatgtcaat 1380 ggctcggccg gtggaccatc tcggcgcagt gcctacatcg ccgcgctgta cttcacgctg 1440 agcagcctca ccagtgtagg cttcggcaac gtttgtgcca acactgacgc tgagaagatc 1500 ttctccatct gcacgatgct cataggcgcg ctgatgcacg cggtggtgtt tgggaatgtc 1560 acagccatca tccagcgcat gtactcccga cgctcgctct accacagccg catgaaggat 1620 ctcaaggact tcatccgagt gcatcgtctg ccccgcccac tcaagcagcg catgctcgag 1680 tacttccaga ctacatgggc cgtcaacagc ggcatcgatg ccaacgagtt actgcgtgac 1740 ttcccggatg agctgcgagc tgacatcgcc atgcacctga atcgggagat cctgcagctg 1800 cctttgtttg gagcagcaag caggggctgc cttcgtgccc tctccctgca catcaagacc 1860 tcattttgtg ctcctgggga gttcctgcta cgccgtgggg atgccctgca ggcacactac 1920 tatgtctgct ctggctctct tgaggtgctc cgagacaaca cggtgctggc catccttgga 1980 aagggggact tgattggggc agacatccct gagttggggc aggagcctgg ggcaggggca 2040 ggctgcgtgc tgaagaccag cgctgatgtg aaagcactga cttactgcgg cctgcagcag 2100 ctgagcagcc gagggctggc cgaggtcctt cggttgtatc cggaatatgt ggctgccttc 2160 agggctggcc taccccggga cctaaccttc aacctgcgcc aaggctctga aaacaatggc 2220 ctcggccgct tctcacgttc tcctcgactc tcccaggcac gctccgacac tcttggttcc 2280 tcctcagaca agactctgcc atccatcaca gaaaccgagg gtggcatgga gcctggggct 2340 ggttccaagc cccgtcggcc cctcctgctg cccaacctca gtccagcacg acctcggggg 2400 tccctggtca gccttttggg cgaagagctg cccccattct cagcccttgt ctcctctcct 2460 tccctgtccc caactccttc ccctgccctg gctggccggg gttcaagtcc ctccctgcac 2520 gggcccccca ggggctctgc tgcctggaag cccccccagc tcctcacccc cccactggga 2580 acatttggac ctccggacct cagtccccgg atcgtggatg gcattgagga ctccagtaac 2640 acagctgagg ctcctacatt ccggttcagc aagaggccgg agcccaccag aacccgttca 2700 caggctcccc tttcaggccc taggctcagc cgggaactgg ccacagaggc agcagaggag 2760 gtgaaggaaa aggtctgcag gctgaaccaa gagatttcca gactcaacca ggaagtgtct 2820 cagctgagcc gggagcttcg ccaagtgatg ggcctcttac aggccaggct gggtccccca 2880 agtcacccac ctgactccac ttggctccca gaccttcctt gtccccatca gagaccgcca 2940 tgcatctctc ctcatatgtc tggacctcca cctggtctcc agaatactac acttgctgta 3000 gtccactgtc cagccagtgt tgggacagtg gagatagggg ccaccccctc agagctgagg 3060 tcttccatgg tgccaccctt tccctcagaa cctgatcctc ttggaccctc tccagtgcca 3120 gaggcttctc ctctgacccc aagcctcctg aagcacagct tccagtctgg gtcagacaca 3180 ttccactgac cctggccttg ggcccaggcc tgtctggggt gggcttaatt acctgccatc 3240 cagggaggag ctgggctcct tggcctcttg ccttggggtc agcagctgcc agctggtctg 3300 gttggctctg gattctctgg actttttaac aatgagtggc cacatctaac cccgttccat 3360 tttctaaacc atccccccca cccgtcctac tcttgtggga ggggagtcac ctgaagccgt 3420 ggaatccagc aggcatgaaa tggaccatgg tgccctgttg ggctacgcag aggagatgtc 3480 ttactttctc cccacgactt ggaggctgtc atgcaaggtg gtcccttctg ctgccagcag 3540 ctcaaagcat tctagcttta cccttctgca gttcccacct ccaaacatca gtcatatctg 3600 cccccctccc tcccaacatg gtctcgacct caatgaggat ctgggcaact cacaaaccct 3660 ctctggtttc cagctcccct ttctcactaa acaccccagg ctcacttttg gatagaaaat 3720 aaatccatat attttt 3736 11 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceprobe 11 accttcctgg acaccatcgc 20 12 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceprobe 12 ccaaacacca ccgcgtgcat 20 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein comprising: a) providing a cell expressing a potassium channel protein, said potassium channel protein being encoded by a first polynucleotide molecule comprising nucleotides 6 through 3257 of SEQ ID NO:1 or a second polynucleotide molecule that is degenerate with respect to said first polynucleotide molecule, b) activating said potassium channel protein, c) treating said cell with a test compound, and d) detecting a change in activity of said potassium channel protein, thereby identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein.
 2. A method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein comprising: a) providing a cell expressing a potassium channel protein, said potassium channel protein being encoded by a polynucleotide molecule, the complement of which hybridizes to nucleotides 6 through 3257 of SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent conditions, wherein the stringent conditions comprise washing twice in 2×SSC containing 0.1% SDS followed by a third washing step, wherein the third washing step is carried out in a solution selected from the group consisting of 0.5×SSC containing 0.1% SDS, 0.2×SSC containing 0.1% SDS, and 0.1×SSC containing 0.1% SDS, and wherein said potassium channel protein has selective ion flow activity of the polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO:1, b) activating said potassium channel protein, c) treating said cell with a test compound, and d) detecting a change in activity of said potassium channel protein, thereby identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein.
 3. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1, wherein said potassium channel protein being encoded by a polynucleotide molecule is encoded by nucleotides 6 through 3257 of SEQ ID NO:1.
 4. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said test compound is a member selected from the group consisting of a peptide, a chemical compound, a culture supernatant of a microorganism, a component of a plant, and a component of a marine organism.
 5. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of activating said potassium channel protein comprises depolarizing said cell by a whole-cell voltage-clamp technique.
 6. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of activating said potassium channel protein comprises depolarizing said cell by culturing said cell in a potassium solution.
 7. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting a change in activity of said potassium channel protein comprises measuring a change in outward current of said cell.
 8. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting a change in activity of said potassium channel protein comprises measuring a change in ion release from said cell.
 9. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting a change in activity of said potassium channel protein comprises measuring a change in membrane potential of said cell.
 10. The method of identifying a compound that modifies activity of an active potassium channel protein according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting a change in activity of said potassium channel protein comprises measuring a change in intracellular potassium levels of said cell. 